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BMC Genomics

Research article

BioMed Central

Open Access

Application of comparative genomics in the identification and analysis of novel families of membrane-associated receptors in bacteria
Vivek Anantharaman and L Aravind*
Address: National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA Email: Vivek Anantharaman - ananthar@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; L Aravind* - aravind@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov * Corresponding author

Published: 12 August 2003 BMC Genomics 2003, 4:34 This article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/4/34

Received: 10 April 2003 Accepted: 12 August 2003

2003 Anantharaman and Aravind; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article: verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in all media for any purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article's original URL.

Abstract
Background: A great diversity of multi-pass membrane receptors, typically with 7 transmembrane (TM) helices, is observed in the eukaryote crown group. So far, they are relatively rare in the prokaryotes, and are restricted to the well-characterized sensory rhodopsins of various phototropic prokaryotes. Results: Utilizing the currently available wealth of prokaryotic genomic sequences, we set up a computational screen to identify putative 7 (TM) and other multi-pass membrane receptors in prokaryotes. As a result of this procedure we were able to recover two widespread families of 7 TM receptors in bacteria that are distantly related to the eukaryotic 7 TM receptors and prokaryotic rhodopsins. Using sequence profile analysis, we were able to establish that the first members of these receptor families contain one of two distinct N-terminal extracellular globular domains, which are predicted to bind ligands such as carbohydrates. In their intracellular portions they contain fusions to a variety of signaling domains, which suggest that they are likely to transduce signals via cyclic AMP, cyclic diguanylate, histidine phosphorylation, dephosphorylation, and through direct interactions with DNA. The second family of bacterial 7 TM receptors possesses an -helical extracellular domain, and is predicted to transduce a signal via an intracellular HD hydrolase domain. Based on comparative analysis of gene neighborhoods, this receptor is predicted to function as a regulator of the diacylglycerol-kinase-dependent glycerolipid pathway. Additionally, our procedure also recovered other types of putative prokaryotic multi-pass membrane associated receptor domains. Of these, we characterized two widespread, evolutionarily mobile multi-TM domains that are fused to a variety of C-terminal intracellular signaling domains. One of these typified by the Gram-positive LytS protein is predicted to be a potential sensor of murein derivatives, whereas the other one typified by the Escherichia coli UhpB protein is predicted to function as sensor of conformational changes occurring in associated membrane proteins Conclusions: We present evidence for considerable variety in the types of uncharacterized surface receptors in bacteria, and reconstruct the evolutionary processes that model their diversity. The identification of novel receptor families in prokaryotes is likely to aid in the experimental analysis of signal transduction and environmental responses of several bacteria, including pathogens such as Leptospira, Treponema, Corynebacterium, Coxiella, Bacillus anthracis and Cytophaga.

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Background
Cells have evolved several strategies to recognize and respond to diverse stimuli that constantly bombard their cell surfaces. The most common strategy involves receptors that are embedded in the cell membranes [1,2]. Typically, these receptors comprise of an external sensory surface, a membrane-spanning module, and an intracellular surface that transmits signals to the internal cellular machinery. Numerous receptors, which are constructed on this basic architectural principle, are known from all the three domains of life. Particularly common, in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, are the receptors that combine an extracellular ligand-binding domain with a single transmembrane segment followed by an intracellular signaling module [1,2]. In bacteria, the most frequently occurring intracellular signaling domain is the histidine kinase domain that ultimately catalyzes phosphotransfer to a receiver domain, as part of a two-component relay system [35]. In the more complex crown group eukaryotes, receptors with an intracellular kinase domain that catalyzes the phosphorylation of serine, threonine or tyrosine, are the most common receptors [6,7]. In both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, receptors with intracellular catalytic domains that signal via diverse cyclic nucleotides are also fairly widespread. In contrast, certain classes of receptors are relatively limited in their distribution. For example, the classic bacterial-type chemotaxis and temperature receptors are thus far restricted to prokaryotes [8,9]. Amongst the crown group eukaryotes, such as slime molds, fungi and animals, serpentine or seven-transmembrane receptors (7TMR) are a very widely used class of receptors. Members of this class are characterized by seven membrane-spanning segments, which are arranged approximately in two-layers [10,11]. In some cases such as rhodopsin, a light receptor, they may covalently bind a prosthetic group like retinal in the cavity formed by the helices. Alternatively, they bind to a variety of soluble or surface-anchored ligands such as odorants, neurotransmitters and peptides [11]. In certain cases, such as the animal metabotrobic glutamate receptors, frizzled and latrophilin-like receptors, the 7TMRs possess additional extracellular globular domains that specifically interact with their ligands. The structural scaffold of the 7TMRs apparently possesses a great degree of flexibility that allows them to sense a remarkable diversity of ligands, such as odorants, in animals [12]. As a result, the 7TMRs form some of the largest multigene families in the genomes of vertebrates and nematodes [13]. In animals the 7TMRs predominantly function via heterotrimeric GTPases (G-proteins), which in turn relay a signal to a variety of effectors, such as adenylyl cyclases, phospholipases and ion channels. In the fungi, the 7TMRs additionally activate signaling via Ras-like small GTPases, while in

Dictyostelium they may also directly activate MAP kinase cascades and calcium channels though alternative pathways [11]. There is also some evidence for G-protein-independent pathways downstream of 7TMRs in animals and plants [11,14]. Though 7TMRs are currently unknown in eukaryotes other than animals, slime molds, fungi and plants, distantly related proteins, namely the prokaryotic rhodopsins, are encountered in bacteria and archaea [15,16]. The animal and the prokaryotic rhodopsins widely differ from each other in the residues that bind retinal and the actual location of the ligand in the internal pocket. However, structural comparisons between the animal rhodopsins and the prokaryotic proteins reveal that they adopt essentially the same topology and three-dimensional fold [10,17,18]. This suggests that they have most probably descended from a common ancestor despite extensive divergence of their sequence. The prokaryotic rhodopsins perform several different functions: 1) Classical bacteriorhodopsin and halorhodopsin from halophilic archaea and the proteorhodopsins from uncultured marine -proteobacteria act as photon-dependent proton or chloride transporters [19]. 2) The sensory rhodopsins from halophilic archaea function as light sensors that transmit a signal in the form of a light-induced conformational change to the transmembrane helices of receptors of the chemotaxis receptor family [16]. 3) The signaling rhodopsins from cyanobacteria, like Anabaena, function as light receptors that transduce a signal via a small intracellular conserved protein that is only found in bacteria [20]. Additionally, relatives of these prokaryotic rhodopsins are also found in several eukaryotes such as chlorophytes, dinoflagellates and fungi. While they appear to be light sensors in these organisms, their exact mode of action is poorly understood [21]. The prevalence of prokaryotic rhodopsins raises the question as to whether other, as-yet-uncharacterized 7TMRs might be deployed in prokaryotic signaling. The availability of prokaryotic genome sequences from across a wide phyletic spread allows one to address this question by using comparative genomics. Comparative genomics has extensively aided the detection of novel domains involved in signal transduction [2227]. Furthermore, the use of contextual information that emerges from gene neighborhoods or predicted operons in prokaryotes and domain or gene fusions has provided several functional leads regarding the novel signaling domains [28]. Conserved gene neighborhoods or operons are often indicative of the products of those genes interacting physically to form complexes, or their involvement in successive steps of biochemical pathways [29,30]. Likewise, gene fusions also

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suggest the close physical interactions between the products of the fused genes. Recurrent fusions of uncharacterized domains with other functionally characterized domains also help in elucidating the functions of the former through the principle of "guilt by association" [31,32]. New genomic information coming from diverse organisms often improve these analyses, because they provide newer contextual connections and allow testing of previously observed connections. The increasing flow of genomic information also helps in the identification of new domains that are absent or infrequent in the proteomes of well-studied organisms. In this work, we apply the tools of sequence profile analysis and comparative genomics to the wealth of new information from prokaryotic genomes to identify novel membrane-associated receptors. We identify new types of bacterial 7TMRs, and show that they are far more prevalent than previously suspected. They transduce downstream signals via various intracellular pathways and are likely to play an important regulatory role in several pathogenic and free-living bacteria. These bacterial 7TMRs are also associated with novel, extracellular, ligand-binding domains, some of which appear to have undergone lineage specific radiation to recognize diverse ligands. These bacterial receptors may also provide a model for the generalized principles of 7TMR function, and even help in understanding non-G protein linked signaling mechanisms via analogous receptors in eukaryotes. We also identified two other groups of widespread membraneassociated receptors, with five and eight membrane-spanning segments respectively, in diverse bacterial lineages.

allowed us to enrich potential multi-TM signaling receptors that are distinct from the common single-pass (1TM) or double-pass (2TM) receptors. 2) They showed large globular extracellular regions that could not be mapped to any other previously characterized domains. This allowed us to identify potential uncharacterized extracellular domains that may function as extracellular sensors. The regions from signaling proteins fulfilling the abovespecified criteria were then clustered based on gappedBLAST bit-score densities in the range of 0.8 to 0.4 per position, using the BLASTCLUST program. We specifically concentrated on those regions that formed distinct clusters with multiple representatives from the same or different organisms because they were likely to represent evolutionarily conserved domains with functional relevance in a wide range of organisms. We then used representative versions of each these regions of similarity as seeds in PSI-BLAST searches of the non-redundant protein database (NR database, National Center for Biotechnology Information). Through these searches, we were able to identify all currently available occurrences and characterize the diverse domain contexts in which they occurred. In searches involving membrane-spanning regions, we took care to avoid the inclusion of false positives arising due to their bias towards hydrophobicity. To achieve this, all searches were conducted using the correction for PSIBLAST-statistics based on sequence composition [38] and the e-value threshold for inclusion in the profile was set at .001. We also ensured that all the detected TM domains were approximately the same size and adopted the same topology in predictions with the above-mentioned algorithms for TM prediction. Finally, we used reciprocal searches to determine whether a consistent set of proteins were recovered from different starting points with significant e-values (e < .001), and examined the sequence alignments for characteristic patterns that could distinguish them from other membrane proteins. We describe below the novel classes of bacterial membrane receptors that were identified as a result of this analysis and the potential gleanings regarding their functions.
Characterization of a bacterial family of seven transmembrane receptors with diverse intracellular signaling modules The proteins PA4856 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and TP0040 from Treponema pallidum emerged as representatives of a large cluster of proteins identified in our receptor-search procedure. These proteins shared a homologous transmembrane domain with 7 predicted membrane-spanning helices (Figure 1) fused to histidine kinase catalytic domains and receiver domains in the case of PA4856, and a chemotaxis receptor domain in the case of TP0040 (Figure 2). An examination of their predicted

Results and Discussion


Identification of novel putative receptors in bacterial proteomes In order to characterize potential novel domains that may play a role in bacterial signal transduction we collated all available predicted proteomes of prokaryotes from across the entire phyletic spectrum (For details see Methods section below). We laid particular emphasis on including all the recently sequenced proteomes that had not been subjected to sensitive comparative sequence analysis by others or us. Using sensitive PSI-BLAST derived profiles, we collected all the proteins in these proteomes that contained one or more of the commonly occurring domains involved in signal transduction, such as the histidine kinase, chemotaxis receptor, GGDEF, EAL, HD hydrolase, PAS and GAF domains [3,22,33]. In order to identify different kinds of novel signaling receptors, we isolated all proteins in this set which satisfied at least one of the following criteria: 1) They possessed multiple (three or more) membrane-spanning seqments that could be predicted in them using the TOPRED [34], TMPRED [35], TMHMM2.0 [36] and PHDhtm [37] programs. This

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Secondary Structure Mdeg0691_Mdeg_23026847 Psyr2444_Psyr_23470811 PP4781_Pput_24986538 PA3974_Paer_9950164 Desu3791_Dhaf_23115653 Magn8928_Mmag_23016342 LA3843_Lint_24216542 Avin0870_Avin_23102702 SO1570_Sone_24373140 Mdeg0804_Mdeg_23026970 SO4207_Sone_24350618 Magn8953_Mmag_23016367 Mmc12300_Msp_23000642 CBU1069_Cbru_29654376 Chut1592_Chut_23136490 Chut3598_Chut_23138550 Chut0774_Chut_23135667 Chut0775_Chut_23135668 Chut3618_Chut_23138584 Chut2463_Chut_23137358 Chut0509_Chut_23135396 Chut2495_Chut_23137390 Chut1543_Chut_23136440 Chut1010_Chut_23135904 Chut2183_Chut_23137079 Chut1424_Chut_23136321 Chut1005_Chut_23135898 C83029_Paer_11350324 PA3462_Paer_9949605 Avin0379_Avin_23102206 Avin3704_Avin_23105533 XF0986_Xf_9105918 LA3996_Lint_24198039 LA4269_Lint_24216967 Rrub0628_Rrub_22966033 Rrub0627_Rrub_22966032 PA4856_Paer_15600049 Avin2657_Avin_23104497 PP4824_Pput_24986585 Pflu4318_Pflu_23062251 LA3986_Lint_24216685 Psyr2376_Psyr_23470745 SMc00074_Smel_15073849 LA2676_Lint_24215376 LA2196_Lint_24214896 CAC0818_Cace_15894105 LA0027_Lint_24212727 cyaA18_Lint_24217179 LA0815_Lint_24213515 Reut4777_Rmet_22980062 Reut4832_Rmet_22980118 LB241_Lint_24202368 BH2013_Bhal_10174632 LA0067_Lint_24193410 LA3610_Lint_24216308 Desu7352_Dhaf_23121831 Desu7142_Dhaf_23121547 Desu1817_Dhaf_23113315 LA1919_Lint_24214619 TP0040_Tpal_1354776 consensus/85%

202 195 182 182 114 193 129 202 170 166 181 192 199 179 179 186 176 178 28 198 183 202 184 106 182 84 139 230 180 190 209 209 181 192 172 160 187 183 170 170 182 254 193 257 184 194 232 199 198 306 210 234 85 43 188 203 174 209 6 191

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|||||||||||||||||||......EEEEE....||||||||||||||||||||||||||.........|||||||||||||||||||| DKAFLYYLLYIFFYGLYMGAHNGLT--FQYFWPNHPQIGNEGLLVTLSLSLVFALQFSTDILN----IKEFSKLLNRIAKCLMIACVVAIP EVDYLYYLLYVASFGLYQMSINGVA--IEYLWPDSPWWANASTPFLISLATLFACQFSRSFLG----TAQLSRWLDRLLLAVIGAAVLVMG DVSYLYYILYIASFGLYQVSVNGAG--VAYFWPDSPWWANASTPLFIGAAGLFGCQFARHFLQ----LGSLNRGFDRLLQLLMLGGALVMV DTSYLYYILYIASFGLYQVSVNGAG--IEYFWPDSPWWANAATPFLIGSAALFGCQFARSFLH----TRDHSVWVDRGLLALMAVGALVML DSSYFWYLFHICAFGLVLLTLNGLG--FEYLWPNSPWLADHSVPLSICLAQVGMQQFAREFLG----LSQRWRFGDYVGRGMIAFFVLLGL DRLYLGYITYAFPVEVMYLARDGLA--SQFLFPEMPLVADHLLGISLCLASGAAVLFAARVME----LETYFPRMNRVYRILGRGCQWSAL DKSYFFYVFYILCFAIFLMSQYGFA--YEYLWPEFSWGARRMNPFLAGLLEFSILLFTRDFLD----TKNTFPTLHKYNHVLIILCAMASF ERNFLLYVLFAASLGGGMLAQSGLG--AQYLWSDGSELDNRALPFFLALALALGTLFTREFLD----TRHALPRWHELLGQACALHFGVTL DKAFLYYGLYVLAYLGGWALT------FHLPAHLFNFHQLELHHLFFISLPIFNIMFYKHFLQ----LPSYSPRLWRLSQYLLIACVIALP QRAYIYYVAYITCLTAFAASLSGLS--FRYLWPNATLWNDISILFSLAGLVLFASIFCWVFLDV---KTFRQKFVIYCFQFYFVVLPLLIV SFSYSYYSGYVLCMTLLVATINGFA--FRFLWPNWPALQQLMVPMLLPLVMGFALMFTEKILQ----LKYYNRHMLLMCRYSAVYILLVCL DASMLMYAVFVVTSMCREATHSGIV--TVILSDAGRPLNYLLSAIGLFGGISAFMIMWDLMFD----IRKEFPLVHRVYRWGGILMLAPIF DPVLRIYALYLVGLILIQANTANLF--FLLLPITWPWFNDFVLIFALHIMTIAVILLWDHLLE----LKRYLPTMHKLYHVLVIGVALVMP KKEYLIYALYIFSFLLGLAVLDGTIN-VIPYFVLSTPVYTYLAVLLAMLVAVFYGTFDPVILK----VKHFLPRIYRIIQAYLFGVILAFS DSIYLKYVVYITGIGMAQASLMGYS--FQYLWPESPLMANQSVYLFSCLASIGALEFVKPFLQ----IKKHAPLLYKISFLFTFAYILTAI DKSYLFYVIYIMCVGLTQTFLHGYT--FKYLWPNSSWLAIHTMYLLPSFVGIAIAEFAKVFLQ----VKEHSKILYKGFYIINFIYIICII DSSYLAYVCYIICIGLTHITLPGYG--FKYIWPNFPAFNDLSVTLFSVFAAVFAIEFLKQFLR----TKQHVPRVHKLFSLFEIIFICTLL DSSYLAYVFYIFCIGLSQITIPGYG--FKYIWPTAPEFNDLSLILFATLATIFGIEFVKIFLK----TKQHAPNLHKLFSLFEIIFSGILI DISYLYYIVYILFIGLTQVTLLGYA--KRLLWPENLWLASHALYIAAAIGSSCIAIFINSFLK----LKTYAPKLVFCIYIIVLLYICSII VTHYLYYVIYAIGILIYLMSKNGTG--FQYLWPDFPQINSHIDSLSLTVSIIFLSLFTMEFL-------QIKKQQLHLYKLFQCIICLQVI KLVFLYYSLFLTGFGIFFMCQDGTG--FQYLWSDMPIINAYSISISRLLMLIPYTLYFCEFLD----IKKRLPLVWKAMMIWIVLRIVGAF DKAYIFYSIYIIFQGLYMSYRDSTA--LVNLFTDSPWLIDYTLNILFFLLSFSSLLYGRFFLE----LNSF-----KWYNILTVAFVVIRF EKTYIYFAANVLSVALYSLTNDGLG--FQYIWPNHINFNAEAQSLAIALFSTTALMYTTAFL------NVKIESTKYCLVIRVTAAVRFLL DLVYLFYVFYTLCCALNSFSEDGLG--FQYIWPNLPVINSWVMLGTPPLLVTAFMIYSYSFLK----ITQFSSKFSYLIIIFYFLYIIFYV ARLYILYIFYLLSGMLISINEDKLG--YQYLWPEQPELNPLLSFHVAPVLLVFCFIVYASNF------LELYKRIKSLFFLVWASFAFYIA MRVHILYVFYIIGCIALSVREDGIA--YQYVLSYFPSLNFIFNLYLAKPIFLSTFIVYSVSFLEIKRYAAGIKKLLLFLLGIYVCMLLLSI ERAFIYYSLFLFGTIALNLCLEGYF--FAYFWPGHPQINMYKIAI-YALSAVTTPLFVYHFL-----DIKSYYPGIKFVFLILTSIFILIA DRAYFWYVLTAASALVLTLSISGHG--FEYFWPERAVPWWLDRLALLAIWGICVIRFSQNLLQ----SRQHARWAHHLLNACCLLFLACLA EATYAWYLLYNLSLGLFSASFDGLL--FK-LLPGHVALESAGIYLLMYLSCLVSIQFSRGYLY----TRRDFPRLDRFLRGLLLACVVLLA EPSQGWYLVYSLNSILLALGFDGYL--FQ--WPPGLQ--HITVLLLIFSFWLTATQLTRHFLN----IPQYFPLLDRILRLWMLGLGAVLL LPLLVAHAMSMLAYCLNVALATGYG--FVYLWPTAMEWDGRAILLSSALTRILVIAYLRILLL----VRQQPPFCGYFLTCCQLAIGGLAV EPVYGYFTVNLVCVLLYLIGFDGEAR-GFPVLGELFGSSPVPIRVVATFGGFVIVNFQRHYLN----TAFRIPRVDLVLKGSAGWLLVMAV TRSYLYYFIMILFSTVYLASWDGLI--SPLFKPNYGRYYLPFILVLFYTSALFLFLFSMEFLY----PEKKERYV-KIIIFLYVVVNLLLI NFTFVSFLLYIISVLVTFYFLHGRT--FAEIAGNTNNLFRHSYFLFLGISYVF-LFLYLFSVD----KINQRKVYRSVFFWISGALGVLYF YRIFALFCIHQLAFTLFGISAVGYF--SPFWVMIFPGIVDRAFYFLYMSISFTLILFCRELFK----PYQPHPVLAKGLDLARWAFPLQII QKILILFCIYQIVYTLYGIALTGYF--ASLSTRFFPELIDLINAIIYISAVLTSVLFCREIFR----PYKPHPLLMKGFLVFILAFPFQMI SASSLWLAAVHAALAVCAAANLGL---VAFWLPGLKFNQSLTADLGALGAAVSLLWFACSFF-----RGTAESRLNRLLQGEALLILAVGA VLCNLWLSAMQGTLLLSAIAHFGLL---GAWLPQLGHYQIRVADITALLSFLFLLQFTRSFFD----QEESPRLLDWLLRGEIAVLALAAV SSTTLILALYHGLMLLSGLILLNLS---GPWWHVWHSAQTPAAYLTLVLAGLSGLYFTQHFF-----SPCNSPRLNRLLQGEMLIVGLSGL SRSSLWLAVCEGLLSLSLLLLLNLA---GPWLPNWHAIQTPGAYLALLLTAPAGLMFAYRFF-----APLGPHPLNKLLIGDILFIVICSL DPVYLSIMGFLVFITLEGWVCFANG--YKYLWPNVPQFQNITPTLFAFFALACSVCFMVQFLS----PSALHKIFRFLLFGTVIVIVCLAI SRSNLWLAACESLLGLSALLLLNLLR-PIDPWN---IAQTPSAHLALLLAAVAGLIYTYCFF-----VHRNARKLDRLLLGNAVLMGIGAL TSMLPATAALAWAVLAYICVDFGF---LSKLITVTADDERIWRAGTEVFLAAGLVIFLFTYL------NLNRWHQHLGYATLAWILGLGLL

....... AVLTMPY MALFLSY LAVSMPY MALTMSY IATQAPY SVPAGFY SSFFVNL GSLLLPV TSIWLLP GVFIFPY LVPFTRY FATHDSF FGLTQQV LTLIDVR LSLTGYF LAVTGNY IYFTGNK LYFADKK AALSEHQ GIVLHGI LPKENDL PFVCIYH FLIGLLF VEKFVSG VFILNFY AIPALML VMSFAGW FNAAGWR SEPLVGL AAPLIGL GHALWPE LNVVPQI PLSIFYP LIPLLHS ALIAGYD AMVAGYS IIAFTQQ LDGASPH VLLFVDT LLLFVNT LSSFVLD LVLFDEK FGVAVYD

||||||||||||||||||||||||||||........||||||||||||||||||||||||...........||||||||||||||||||||||. AFMAPVMTVLTLTIMPL-FFVMGVLRLASGY---RPARYFMLAWTAL--IFSVIVYVLKVFGVLPRTFFTENGFQIG--SIIEMVLLSLALGSR GPALRGAAQLVMAGALT-IYLAGIVAVIKGE---RVGRYFVLAWSVF--MVSGLIFGLMLLGYLPNTFLTMYASHIG--TVLEMAFLSMALADR GIALRMATLLALLFTIS-VFSAGLYAWWRGL---RVARWFIIAWTAF--LLGGLVNTLMVLGYLPNVFITMYASQLG--SALEVALLSLALADR AVALRLATYLALAFTGL-IFAAGILAWLRGM---RVARYFIIAWTAF--LLGGIVNTLMVLGYLPNMFLTMYASQIG--SALEVGLLSLALADR RIVTPIASAAVFVSIGW-IAVASVAALRRGY---KPARLFLLAWSAF--LLGTGMFAAIAFDLLPKVFITEYGVQIG--SALEMLLLSVALGYR GLAAPVIVSMLPVFFLV-TTVLGLRRVVDGE---AITRWYLAAVQIP--FLINATIVARALGLADIPMELDLVAHYG--ACAHLLLIGSGLIWR TQGALQVAILGLLTAIS-ILASGIKALMSGF---RPARYFMIAFSAL--LLGGAFYALKTIGAIPVSFVTEYSMQIG--SGLEVTLLSLGLGDR DRALQTLSVISIGGILL-LLACGLAGLLRRS---PGARIFVLAELAL--MAGVVLMSLRNFTLLPSNLVTANSVQFG--SALEMLLLSFGLAAR YTAIIASVLIMLWIALA--ITCGNVCLMKGF---APARYFIMAFTCLL-LPAVIILPGNMGITPDFIEHAEFATLLG--GTVDALLLSLALANK YIMIKLLILFGVLACGL-GFAAGIIAWLEGR---PSAKYYTVAWALF--YSGGIVLALTKLAIIEQTIFSENALQFG--SLIEAVLLSFALAER GTVLYIEIVSVAVLSII-MMILAIIQAVRGQ---KLAKLYTIGWVSM--LTGACLSSLLYLSVIELNIKPQTPVMLG--LTFEIIFMSLVLAIR SLLAQYAQVIMLAVSIGSITMAFILVLRHPGD--VLLRFYLCAFFPIV-LLWGVEVGALVFPTIPFDLGRQV-DIIA--TMIHLSILFLALGYR IYFSPHIMNLAFYVFALSSFLTLIIAYRRQSY--GLYLLYFIAFLPT--AVGGYIYRMMQEGTIPHNFWTEHAFQLG--SLSHLILFTLVLGYR LTRQTVGVYILFIYLV--FGVISLYLSFKKY---TPAYYYLVGTLVL--LVMTALGVLHELHVISFDIFFGQPTNFI--LSIEVVIHAFALSAF NISYFLVLTNAAWICIY-MLLVGIVILKKRY---KPALFFLIAWSPM--LIGIIISVLKDINLLPANNFTNYTMPAG--SALEVILLSFALADR NQSQQVIHINAMLVSLY-TLFVGFIIARKGY---RPAIFFSIAWFTF--LIGVCLFILKDLGVLPYNNFTVYAMPAG--SAIEVVLLSLALADR LLAFTIIQLITFVLCIC-IIVTAIKIIYIGY---RPAIFFLTAWLIL--LLSACIFIAKDFDIIPYNFFTIHAMQIG--SAVEVILLSFALADK ILAFTALQLLTFGLSVC-IIVTAIKIIHMGY---RPAIFFLSAWLVL--LLGSCIFIGKDFGLVPYNFFTAHSMQIG--SALEVTLLSLALADR HLSYNIIDINGIIISIF-CMYVSIKMSFQGY---KPARFFLLGWTVF--MIGVLIFVLRNFGFFPFNSFTNYTMPAG--SALEVALLSLALADR ICSTPIFTIFNILFIQI-FFWVGYNRYKKGL---KSALWFVFAFVFL--NLFFLIFWLEYINWLPSSIFTVYALNIG--VIVQFIFLSISITES LLSLVMYYDYIPFIV---AYLTAIYSYSKGF---KPALYFTLGFSIL--LISFIINSLRVACIVESNIFTAYSLNFG--AVLEILFLSLSLGAW NYPLALMWFDLAAPVIV-FLFSIISRFEKN----KTASLFSIGFFAI--CIGYLINVLWHANIIDCTTDVFYSLYYT--IIIQSLLLAIANAYR YRPLLYFYQLDLLILIF-IFYTSIVFYKKDF---KAARFFILAYTAL--FIGFSLNLSIVLGVGFIHPVTVYGLNIG--IVIQLFLFSFALADR TRVFYPFVYLIPFILI---YLVSFQIYLKGE---KYARFFILAYTMI--IISFVIFVLRMFDLVPVTLFTVYSFNFG--FLIEVVILSIALGDR FPLLLAIRILTPLPFLM-VFISTIIIYSKGY---KSARFFILGAGLI--LTSIILIQLRALAIIMGSIFTVYIFNYS--LIIESIILSIALSDR LSEYVFFSVFIIV------YITSLFIAKKGN---HFAYYFFAGFSMV--MLSVLINLLRSFNILPSTIFTVYSFNYG--IILEVIIFSVALADK HAQALYTLQMTAFLQIIIYILYGLGIRRKGN---ANASYFIWAWSLY--LCSIMFAVLSSLNIIPSTAFVNNYVQVG--TLIQVESFH-----WQAAGVLALTLLANLPI-AIGLAVQRWRQGS---ATARLYLVGFGLV--LGSVSLGVMRATALVQPTSANAMVFPLA--LTLEALLFSLALASR RAWNVLASLTVMLVSLS-LLLAGVHVWRQGL---RYGLYYILAWGAL--LLSFLVTTAASLGFELFGLFGSSVVKIG--MTVELVTLSIGLADR SAWTTLAHFATLIGALL-LPSCGAHVWRKNL---RAGAYHLTAWALL--LVSLGGQAFAELGLDLLGEHATMLAKIG--IASNLLILAVGLADR 1 ELLAPGAWPGMLAVVAALLGIAGATLVGHRQKL-PYDWFCYLVPGLILLQALLIYAFLFGLASRPPAEYSWLSLSTLY-GGALLCYTLVSQTAR QPYPVLTYLSLIAASLLLLFSCAWLGGVRGH---RDAWSLLVAWTPLLLFSMLRSL-ELIGWNRLSGNGAWIGYGLSM-SLALSCLLVTLVLAD THLNRISYYLGLVNNLI-IVYFCIVRIRGGF---KSAKNFLIIHLVF--PVAGILTNLSTFGAISIDYLSLHLLKLA--FISQSVLFSVMLVQR WYDHRILLLVVTVGLSS-FYFIRVHYQFFGSNS-SIGFLYTASWTVF--LVLNIYKTIFHFDFYPFNYFSVFGVVLF--LPFHSILISFSLNEF ALAVISNALLIKGALFY-FVFVAFSLKVDLDPTRRTLRIFFIGIALI--NLIFWMTPRVGGELKWLGLSAVQALVID--GFVMGILFAWLAHGR DLAIISAALLMKLAVFY-YVIVAFSLKKDLFPTRNMLRLFFLSMAVA--NGAFWAGARLVDDVRAMSLIGVQSLIVD--GFVVGVFFAWLVHGR LWFSWLIYLLVILSSLS-VPLIAAWHWYRGY---QPARLIVAGMIVF--NAGFMVFLPVLFGTKQLDPGWLVLGVFSF-ATLAGLVLSVSLTER DMLRSGLILLASLSATG-CALYHWLHGY------RPARLALVGTLLF--HLGFSAYL-SMLLDFGQFGPCWQIFALFAFTAASGLLLVFALAER LPLNLMTYALMALGSVS-MLLVSSYHWYKGY---APGRLFSLAMVVF--NLGGLVLLPALLGLTRTSTPWLLCILLGL-TVVSGLLLNLAVSER LPLNIITYALVALAGLS-MLLVGFYHWQKGY---RPARLFVAAMVVF--NIGTLIILPALLGLTLVAPQGLIMTLMGF-ICISGLLMSIALGER RALVVKIFSWTFIFVSV-LVLISTFSIIKSF---SPARKIILCMIPI--IGSGLITILYYLDLLKYNEYYVHAYLLS--LPSIYIVITVSLRDR LPINFLTFGLVSLTTLS-ILAVSMWHWQKGY---RSARLFVLGMITFN-IGYMVVLPGLLWLSLVPPQWLILALLSV--FCISGVLMSLALSER PAIASGIARLSFALTAT-VGIVLIAYLGFN----RYDRAILLVPAWL--LILVWLFGAWLAVTGQLANDIVQPALGGG-LVLIVLLIGFTVMQH

406 399 386 386 318 397 333 406 370 371 385 398 405 383 383 390 380 382 232 399 385 400 386 308 384 287 336 434 383 390 420 417 384 397 379 367 390 384 373 373 386 456 394 459 385 398 439 398 395 505 409 433 293 241 391 413 365 418 229 415

TEYIKILLLMIYTTAGVYFLFLYLRRRA- DRENLYYGLFTILLVLYQFLRNQ----IKYDLGIEFIYMKKLEYMVLATLVPLFANFIRLYF------KYPKTTILKVLDGLYVSFAIFYF REIGGLLIFGSFLLIGGFFLFLSWREKK- YGENFYFGFFLILFALFQVSLSDL----KYFTGFKIIYLKKIEYSFLVFLFPLFCRFLNSLFGK---AIGRFQIFLEIMVLFLFFWILNAE NASIDLIVFGGLIVTELIFLIIAFKLKKS KVLLYLSILGVFVQFKCLFLNEIII--VHLFPYISFEILSKIDVLTNYLWIPVYVLFIKKKF------YDLSNKIVYGIFVFYFVYITMCI FEYWDLLLYGIYTIFGIYHIYFYFIRRK- DLYYLYFGLFSFFSSVYFFSSSNLI--FQKFVNPNPELDSSLFFRMQYSSLTLIFPSFYYFLKD---YFSPKEKGSMIASFFVIFLIGLFF STLINLCLNTIYVFFGFYHLLIYVKRRE- DLYNLYFGIFSVFMALYSLSRSNIA--FEVIYDT-TWITRIEYSSVSLLAPLFLLFMQ-DYF-------YGRAKFSKVLFAILILNVVIAL EEWREIILIVVIFSFGIYHIVFFFSYKQ- DSIPLYFAVFCFLVSGYSFITSE----FQ--FTALPELSLDLRLRIKFFCEVVFFPTSFWMLQ----KMFPVQFSRKWIQISIGTSTVFLL RHDLQLISLAVTVALGCLFFSLWVMRRQ- ---EAAYGWFSLMSLAWWCVALNQV--ATTTWPFASTDAWERANTVALLVYSVAYMLSMA--------RFCERRLPRVEGGLWLLAAVGAA HRTLFMINIIVSGVMAALFFCIWVVRRE- QTAYGWYALMYLFWVLFIANVLVT---TPWPWHSTLTVARFNTMALLL-SIACFCVFTWRFG------GQHLPRIERALWWITGILLATQV HLMMDIASFASVALIGFYHLVLFLFRTR- SKEYLFFGLFCISMGIRQLSVEDHA--FIIFFPDIDFDFYIRFIYFTVLSIGIFMCMFIKSLF----PEEVSSFFINSAIGVFGCSSFTLA TSAAQLMVAAIMFIHGIYACILFFIRP-- KKIELLYFMVAVLLSAFSVLVSDER--LLLQWVPLNYEWFIKLAYLSYTGLSLFFLLFVRYLF----SNYKRNQSVRWISGFCALYALFIL ATFHLGVAFFTFGLFEIGYFMAAFYYH-- -PIAAYHRWLTGCLILPTITHFTQ---FFIRYPSNNNRKFGFWMMVFQHILGFIVACFF---------IYLTAISEKIYHFTAHHWDFNAL PLFFDIFSFSSLLIMGIYHIFQYLYLRS- SVSPLYFGMYSLVICLRTSLINSKI--LMLFFPQIPWSWVHKINHLTLSVGVPFFLLFFSSIF----APYVSRKFINVGVVFSILFSIVTL TTLLNVSLIVSLLMLGCYQLSVFIIRRE- EKGPLYFGLSCVVIAWSYASTGDRL--LIEYFNLPTEIYYKIQAISLYSSLIPMAMFIKTMC-----KGLIPRWLTKGIIYGMGLYSGVVL DSFLDISLISGMSFLALYFFGLGLQRK-- KSAEILFFALYCLVSSLQASVRSEAL-LNYALPALSYNTSLKILIISYTLCLYALIKFLYHAQ----EGGSSRRANLIIDGITLFFILLDW SSMVELIIVGSIFTIGWICFLSYFFLFRY KKNKIFMSMAVVCFSHALTNSMYGERTLLFLFPHIPFDDAYKLLQLARMITGMSLVLFLNQLD----KTFIPKRMYQMLLGMYALFAAVLL YQISCYLVATMLTFKAFYNLFLYYKNRN- QIHLLHFAFLQIAYGLYILFFTQTINTTNPEEALIWKRLEDIILPIFGIFLILFVNSYLKIFSTDFVYFYILLNLLLSVAILFDFNSYHIG KDVLEAMTIGFAFTIFAYYLAMFCFRRL-23SKSLYACSLFSLLIVVRLLLTGNA---FLPRLITIGWDPMVRLEYLTLAFSGVSCLYYLSTLYP---GLVNQSFVVAFGAEGLAYAVIILL ..hh..hhhs...hh.hh.h..hh..p.. p....hh.hh.h...h..h...s........h........................h....h................h......h.h..h

FSNNV-EHYNFINKNLVQYGWIL-YLGITLNHLIRRVIAKDRDAFLILIGVLIT-VFAAILDTLGARNVFVFPRLVGYSFLF---FILSIATILANKFVR SVFVLDA INRYALQISWIGFVYLS--LKILIPNLKKSF---ESRTIFLGIIFLL--ICVGIDV-LSQRGMLKMIRLSGLGVSG---FLGFLTLILANKFVK VTDNILY DKFMFFAQPILYIIIII-ILVFLIGKIRNKV---VGSGVSIVAFSIV--ILNCINDSPADGGAVYSRSSFVISMFIL--ILIETCTIVAKYCSE AFLTVPF 1 WVHIAFKICQILAICFSVYILFFSIQTVRKKK--QDARKILVGICV---CIVFSTWELYGSVFENAKYHSTFFKLV---YLFFIISIASTLVLR TTLLEPF RYTMTSLRLWQISILPT-LVYLLYFMSKAVYLRKKDAILLATSMFTV--VFIAVYDVIDSIFFQSGIRFTQFAY------FLFVVALTTILANR GIFTFNE RNIISFYSWFMYFPPFY-ALVLILGTATAAF---KAKELFTGFVFAF--TMMNDGIYGLYEIYTLYPYSFPLG------LVAFVALNSYIISSR VMIWAPT 2 LTMVRNVLTLWAACVFFATCIVFLGFAWRHGR--TDHRILSVCIAIF--LVAAVHDLLSFLGILTDNAYYAALT-----SQVQMIAMALVLAWR VVPDAYV GHAQLVGVMVAAAIFYL-NGLQFPFHALRTR---QREHALLAGCLLIL-LAASLHDLLLLLAVLRGSYPISPYTS-----IVVTLCLSGILGLR LPVRVFT EFFSIIFVLISFLPLGL-TTYLFKAHKMKR----KGATLILIAYLIF----STVVLNDILFTLGYISTGYISYI-----GITVFIFFQAGVLAQ IAPATTI REWTIMLLFVLAIPFTT-IILLVVQVILKKER--DSLFLLLAAISVASDSILWSSFTGRVKSFEWGILSQIDYSFYPV-LTLAFLCFSTFWFIR IASK--YLAFIIAFYSVIAFIII-PSWRIITDKEKKKFA-IFLFSIGFMIAAFY-PNISNVLSRDGYMERSTYMTSNVIFFIAA-FSVVVIAFINNSTER FGDMTFN NQSISIYHYFIIIIICY-LFYTILKIDFDKE---RNYTYILYGSGIL--FIAVLVDLFYARVLKTGSIQTSHYALV----FFVFLQSLLLASER VTPFQWY SPFNLLFSFIQMAANII-IVGLLLYSFRQGRYGEFNRKSLGLFILALGCYLLGLIDYGLYLSSVVLDYKLGYYAILSF-CFLASFIMSYQFSEA FTDFYLW GYIYTVALV-GQIYVLF-LLIALLAKNTKGG---SEGRYYLFSAVVS--SLIHLLTILANFILLWESNLFL---------PVFQPILV-----VPPLKVY AYLCVPIGITELVIYIG-IFIRAVYTYSKAKE--DEQERTKFGFLLC--ALGVLSLYVVNLAFFSFGLVEDMFLGFI--CSLIFALMLMVYLAV LLHEKKI 16 NYLYVSRILTIFWILFK-VVTQFIHYLFKNL-------FLFIGFTLF--CANALLDILVTINLIPLPYTSHFSFLIL--SFSVDFFLKSNQFEK LPPASFA RLLPLQQLFVLLLLGIV-LWVMCKVLYRKK----RGAVPLSMGVLVL----GVTALHDVLLAVGVLSGAPLLIFGF----VGFLVTQTALIEWQ ....... ............h.......h..h..............hh.h....h..................................h....h......p

Figure sequence alignment of the 7TM domains of the 7TMR-DISM family Multiple1 Multiple sequence alignment of the 7TM domains of the 7TMR-DISM family. Multiple sequence alignment the 7TMR-DISM family was constructed using T-Coffee [73] after parsing high-scoring pairs from PSI-BLAST search results. The PHD-secondary structure [78] is shown above the alignment with | representing an -helix. The 85% consensus shown below the alignment was derived using the following amino acid classes: hydrophobic (h: ALICVMYFW, yellow shading); small (s: ACDGNPSTV, green) and polar (p: CDEHKNQRST, blue). The limits of the domains are indicated by the residue positions, on each end of the sequence. The two major groups of these receptors, typically associated with either 7TMR-DISMED2s (upper group) or 7TMR-DISMED1s (lower group), are separated by a spacer. The numbers within the alignment are non-conserved inserts that have not been shown. The sequences are denoted by their gene name followed by the species abbreviation and GenBank Identifier (gi). The species abbreviations are as provided in Table 1. This alignment is provided as an additional file in the MS-WORD format (additional file 1).

membrane-spanning topology showed that it was identical to that observed in the eukaryotic 7TM receptors and the prokaryotic rhodopsins, with the N-terminus projecting into the extracellular (or periplasmic) space and the Cterminus into the intracellular space (Figure 2). Furthermore, they were approximately the same size as the prokaryotic rhodopsins and eukaryotic 7TMRs (250300 residues) and did not deviate in terms of the size distribution of the inter-helix loops from the latter class of proteins. In order to further investigate their affinities and phyletic spread, we initiated PSI-BLAST searches with these proteins. These searches recovered numerous homologous 7TM domains from several proteobacterial lineages, such as Azotobacter, Rhizobia, Pseudomonas, Vibrio, Coxiella and Xylella, spirochetes like Treponema and

Leptospira, Gram positive bacteria, like Clostridia and Bacillus halodurans, and other bacterial lineages, such as Cytophaga and Chlorobium (Figure 1, Table 1). In particular, several proteins with these 7TM domains were seen in Cytophaga hutchinsonii (13 copies) and Leptospira interrogans (14 copies) (Table 1). All complete versions of these domains were predicted to possess a characteristic topology with an outward facing N-terminal region and cytoplasmic C-terminus. The seven predicted TM helices corresponded precisely with the seven hydrophobic segments that were strongly conserved in all these proteins. When a profile including all the above-detected bacterial 7TMR domains was used to search the NR database, the eukaryotic 7TMR receptor domains of latrophilin (gi: 4185804), ETL (gi: 4423362) and a 7 TMR domain
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BMC Genomics 2003, 4

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/4/34

DISMED2

HIS Kin

DISMED2

GGDEF
1..2 RECs

DISMED2

Chut2463_Chut (4)
DISMED2

XF0986_Xf (Pae)
DISMED2

Chut3598_Chut
DISMED2

HIS Kin

REC

REC

HIS Kin A. Cyclase LA3843_Lint

Chut1010_Chut (2)
DISMED2

PA3462_Paer(Avin 2)

Chut1592_Chut (Cchut 4,Msp,Mmag,Pput,Psyr)


DISMED2

Chut1424_Chut (2)

ZnR

Mmc13461_Msp
DISMED2

PAS

HIS Kin

Magn8928_Mmag
Rrub0627 Rrub0628

DISMED2 GGDEF Avin0870_Avin [Dhaf, Mdeg 2, Sone 2]

DISMED2

GGDEF

83
EAL

69
DISMED2

Rrub0628_Rrub [2]
DISMED2

HIS Kin

REC

GGDEF

87 74 74

PA3974_Paer

SMc00074_Smel
DISMED2

PA3973 PA3974

HIS Kin

REC

REC

7TM of the 7TM-DISM

PA4856_Paer(Pae,Avin,Lint)
DISMED2

AraC HTH

1..2 RECs

98

Signal Peptide

LA3986_Lint [2]

72
LA0815 LA0816

REC HTH

80

REC HTH

TetR HTH

Reut4777 Reut4778 Reut4779

DISMED1

HIS Kin

LA0815_Lint
DISMED1 DISMED1

DISMED1

A. Cyclase LA0027_Lint [2]

HIS Kin Reut4777_Rmet [Rmet 2, Dhaf 2]

GGDEF CAC0818_Cace PP2C

OmpR HTH LA1919_Lint


0..2 TPRs

DISMED1

BH1549_Bhal [Bhal 2, Dhaf 2]


DISMED1

CTR HIS Kin REC REC HIS Kin

TP0040_Tpal
DISMED1

DISMED1

LA2676_Lint [3]
HAMP

LB241_Lint
PP2C
TPRs

LA0067

LA0068

LA0070

DISMED1

HIS Kin

LA0067_Lint [2]

BH2013_Bhal

Figure 2 Phylogenetic tree, domain architectures and gene neighborhoods of the 7TMR-DISM family Phylogenetic tree, domain architectures and gene neighborhoods of the 7TMR-DISM family. Phylogenetic relationships of the 7TMR-DISM domain containing proteins along with the domain architectures are shown. The seed alignment used for constructing the tree was one similar to that shown in Fig. 1. The RELL bootstrap values for the major branches are shown at their base. The thickness of a given branch is approximately proportional to the number of proteins contained within it. Domain architectures of the proteins in each branch of the tree are shown in boxes pointed to by the black arrows. The phyletic pattern of each family is shown, along with the number of proteins (if there are more than one). The gene neighborhood data for some of the genes encoding 7TMR-DISM encoding genes is depicted using block arrows. A red arrow indicates the domain architectures of proteins encoded by each gene. The species abbreviations are as shown in Table 1. Domain abbreviations are: DISMED1 7TMR-DISMED1; DISMED2 7TMR-DISMED2; A. cyclase-Adenylyl cyclases; GGDEF-GGDEF-motifcontaining nucleotide cyclase domains; His Kin Histidine Kinase; EAL-EAL motif containing cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases; REC Receiver domain; PAS-Ligand binding domain found in Drosophila Period clock proteins, vertebrate Aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator and Drosophila Single minded proteins; ZR, Zinc Ribbon HTH; Helix-Turn-Helix domain (of AraC, OmpR and TetR variety); PP2C Sigma factor PP2C-like phosphatases ; TPR etratricopeptide repeats; CTR Chemotaxis receptor domain; HAMP domain present in Histidine kinases, Adenylyl cyclases, Methyl-accepting proteins and Phosphatases.

encoded by the prawn nidovirus (gi: 9082017) were recovered as the best hits (e-values = 10-2-3 10-3) outside of the bacterial family.

A sequence alignment of the 7TM domains that were recovered in these searches showed that they shared a characteristic pattern of sequence conservation (Figure 1) including two well-conserved polar residues at the C-termini of the first and the last helix (typically basic

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Table 1: Phyletic patterns and number of proteins *


Domain 7TMR Firmicutes Bhal (2); Cace; Ddeh; Dhaf (5) Proteobacteria Alpha Atum; Bjap; Bmel; Ccre; Mmag (2); Rpal; Rrub (2); Smel. Beta Rmet (2); Rsol. Gamma Avin (4); Cbru; Mdeg (2); Paer (4); Pflu (2); Pput (2); Psyr (2); Sone (2); Xcam (2); Xf; Vvul Delta Ddes. Unclassified Msp (2) Delta Gmet. Unclassified Msp. Alpha Rsph; Rrub. Gamma Ec (2); Styp; Sone (2); Vcho; Ypes. Delta Ddes; Gmet. Alpha Bjap (2); Ccre; Mlot; Naro; Rsph; Smel (4). Beta Bfun; Rmet (2); Rsol. Gamma Ec (8); Mdeg (3); Pmul; Paer; Pput (2); Styp (4); Sone(2); Sfle (2) Vcho; Vpar; Xcam (2); Ypes Delta Ddes; Mxan Unclassified Msp. Alpha Ccre Beta Rmet (2); Rsol. Gamma Mdeg; Xcam (2). Alpha Atum; Bjap; Bmel; Mmag (2); Rpal; Rrub (2); Smel. Gamma Avin (4); Cbru; Mdeg (2); Paer (4); Pput (2); Psyr (2); Sone (2); Xf; Vvul. Delta Ddes. Unclassified Msp. Actinomycetes Cyanobacteria Spirochetes Lint (14); Tpal. other Chut (13); Ctep.

7TMR-HD 5TMR-LYT

8TMR-UT

Bsub; Bant; Cace (2); Cper; Ctet; Cthe; Dhaf; Efae (2); Linn; Lmon; Oihe; Tten. Bsub (2); Bant (2); Cace; Ctet; Linn; Lmon; Oihe; Ooen; Saga (2); Sau (2); Sepi; Smut; Tten. Llac

Ana; Npun (2); Pmar (2); Syn; Ssp; Tery -

Lint; Tpal. -

Cpne; Caur; Fnuc (2); Tmar. Drad (2); Fnuc (2)

Cglu; Tfus; Scoe.

Ana; Syn; Ssp (3).

Lint

Caur ESV

7TMRDISMED1 7TMRDISMED2

Bhal (3); Cace; Ddeh; Dhaf (4) Dhaf

Lint (9) Lint (4)

Chut (13)

*Firmicutes: Bant Bacillus anthracis; Bsub Bacillus subtilis; Bhal Bacillus halodurans; Cace Clostridium acetobutylicum; Cper Clostridium perfringens; Ctet Clostridium tetani; Cthe Clostridium thermocellum; Ddeh Desulfitobacterium dehalogenans; Dhaf Desulfitobacterium hafniense; Efae Enterococcus faecium; Llac Lactococcus lactis; Linn Listeria innocua; Lmon Listeria monocytogenes; Oihe Oceanobacillus iheyensis; Ooen Oenococcus oeni; Saga Streptococcus agalactiae; Saur Staphylococcus aureus; Sepi Staphylococcus epidermidis; Smut Streptococcus_mutans; Tten Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis. Alphaproteobacteria: Atum Agrobacterium tumefaciens; Bjap Bradyrhizobium japonicum; Bmel Brucella melitensis; Ccre Caulobacter crescentus; Mmag Magnetospirillum magnetotacticum; Mlot Mesorhizobium loti; Naro Novosphingobium aromaticivorans; Rsph Rhodobacter sphaeroides; Rpal Rhodopseudomonas palustris; Rrub Rhodospirillum rubrum; Smel Sinorhizobium meliloti. Betaproteobacteria: Bfun Burkholderia fungorum;Rmet Ralstonia metallidurans; Rsol Ralstonia solanacearum. Gammaproteobacteria: Avin Azotobacter vinelandii; Cbru Coxiella brunettii; Ec Escherichia coli; Mdeg Microbulbifer degradans; Pmul Pasteurella multocida; Paer Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pflu Pseudomonas fluorescens; Pput Pseudomonas putida; Psyr Pseudomonas syringae; Styp Salmonella typhimurium; Sone Shewanella oneidensis; Sfle Shigella flexneri; Vcho Vibrio cholerae; Vpar Vibrio parahaemolyticus; Vvul Vibrio vulnificus; Xcam Xanthomonas campestris; Xf Xylella fastidiosa; Ypes Yersinia pestis. DeltaProteobacteria: Ddes Desulfovibrio desulfuricans; Gmet Geobacter metallireducens; Mxan Myxococcus xanthus. Unclassified Proteobacteria: Msp Magnetococcus sp. Cyanobacteria: Ana Anabaena sp.; Npun Nostoc punctiforme; Pmar Prochlorococcus marinus; Syn Synechococcus sp.; Ssp Synechocystis sp.; Tery Trichodesmium erythraeum. Spirochetes: Lint Leptospira interrogans; Tpal Treponema pallidum. Actinobacteria: Cglu Corynebacterium glutamicum; Tfus Thermobifida fusca; Scoe Streptomyces coelicolor. Other:Cpne Chlamydophila pneumoniae; Ctep Chlorobium tepidum; Caur Chloroflexus aurantiacus; Chut Cytophaga hutchinsonii; Drad Deinococcus radiodurans; ESV Ectocarpus siliculosus virus; Fnuc Fusobacterium nucleatum; Tmar Thermotoga maritima. The number of proteins (if more than one) is given in parenthesis. Incomplete genomes are underlined.

residues). A comparison of these 7TM domains against a library of PSI-BLAST profiles and hidden Markov models (See Methods for details) for previously characterized membrane proteins gave the nematode 7TM receptor family and the prokaryotic rhodopsins as the top-scoring hits (e-values ~.01.05), suggesting a closer relationship with the classic 7TM receptor families to the exclusion of various other membrane-associated proteins (e-values ~.9 3.5). An examination of the domain architectures of these 7TM proteins reveals considerable diversity around a shared basic architectural blue print. At their N-terminus, these 7TM domains were either directly preceded by a predicted signal peptide, or by different extracellular globular modules, analogous to the domain organization of the

animal metabotropic glutamate receptors. At their C-termini they were typically fused a range of catalytic and non-catalytic signaling domains (Figure 2). The former category includes the quintessential bacterial two-component-system-modules, namely the histidine kinase and receiver domains, cyclic diguanylate signaling enzymes such as the GGDEF-type cyclase and EAL-type phosphodiesterase domains, cNMP generating cyclases and PP2C phosphatases [3,22,39,40]. The non-catalytic domains include the PAS, chemotaxis receptor, TPR, and HAMP domains [8,26,27,4143]. Interestingly, three DNA binding domains, the AraC-type HTH [44], the OmpR-type HTH [45,46] and the bacterial IS1-like Zn finger domains (VA & LA unpublished), are also fused C-termini of cerPage 6 of 20
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tain 7TM receptors from Leptospira and Cytophaga (Figure 2). While a small subset of the receptors lack any intracellular domains, they could non-covalently associate with soluble catalytic domains on their intracellular surface. Hereinafter, we refer to these bacterial receptors as 7TMRDISM (for 7TMreceptors with diverse intracellular signaling modules). The great diversity of domain architectures of the 7TMRDISM family, particularly in terms of their intracellular modules, suggests that they activate number of different intracellular signals in response to different external ligands. With respect to transmitting different cytoplasmic signals via their intracellular regions they resemble the eukaryotic 7TMRs, rather than the prokaryotic bacteriorhodpsins, which are mainly photon-dependent ion pumps. The presence of intracellular DNA-binding domains in certain 7TMR-DISMs suggests that they may take advantage of the non-compartmentalized state of the chromosome in bacteria to directly bind DNA and regulate transcription in response to ligand-induced conformational changes. Additionally, analysis of the gene neighborhoods reveals that in Ralstonia, Pseudomonas and Leptospira the genes encoding 7TMR-DISMs form predicted operons with HTH-transcription factors with receiver domains. These are likely to represent two-component systems in which the transcription factors are modulated by the signal-activated 7TMR-DISM proteins (Figure 2). The presence of TPR repeats in the intracellular regions of certain 7TMR-DISMs is reminiscent of components of eukaryotic signaling systems [42]. These repeats may act as structural scaffolds that link the 7TMR-DISMs to intracellular protein complexes.
The identification and functional analysis of the novel extracellular ligand-binding domains of 7TMR-DISM proteins The N-termini of most 7TMR-DISMs are linked to large extracellular regions that are predicted to assume a globular structure. As these regions were also recovered in our procedure for identifying novel extracellular ligand-binding domains of receptors, we investigated them in greater detail. Clustering using BLASTCLUST showed that most of these extracellular domains associated with the 7TMRDISMs fell in either of two distinct clusters. While some of the extracellular regions did not initially fall into any of the clusters, iterative PSI-BLAST searches with representative seed sequences unified all these extracellular regions with one or the other cluster. This suggested there are two distinct varieties of extracellular domains associated with the bacterial 7TMR-DISMs, which we accordingly refer to as 7TMR-DISMED1 and 7TMR-DISMED2 (for 7TMRDISM extracellular domains 1 and 2).

Iterative PSI-BLAST searches of the NR database with 7TMR-DISMED1 additionally recovered a globular domain inserted in the middle of the sialate acetylesterase domain from various proteobacteria (e-value = 10-3-10-5 iteration 3), and in subsequent iterations carbohydrate metabolism enzymes (e-value = 10-2-10-4 iteration 45) such as -galactosidases, -mannosidases and -glucuronidases [47,48]. For example, a search with the 7TMRDISMED1 from the protein LA2676 from Leptospira recovered the insert domain of the sialate acetylesterases in iteration 3 (eg. Mdeg0217, Microbulbifer degradans, e = 10-4), -galactosidase in iteration 4 (LacZ, E. coli, e = 10-5) and glucuronidases in iteration 6 (eg. GUS, Homo sapiens, e = 10-2). The 7TMR-DISMED1 corresponds precisely to a distinct domain in the galactosidases and the glucuronidases, which is seen to adopt a -jelly roll topology in their crystal structures [49] (Figure 3A). These domains function as accessory carbohydrate binding domains, rather than catalytic domains of the enzymes in which they occur [49]. An examination of the sequence alignment (Figure 4) shows that the 7TMR-DISMED1s and the -jelly roll domain of the carbohydrate-metabolism enzymes share several conserved residues, including certain characteristic aromatic positions. The sequence alignment also suggests that the 7TMR-DISMED1s are likely to preserve the spacious cavity of these jellyrolls with a characteristic triangular outline (Figure 3A). The projection of some of the highly conserved residues into this cavity (Figures 3A and 4) suggests that the core structure of the ligand-binding pocket is also likely to be conserved across all these proteins. These observations imply that the 7TMR-DISMs with the 7TMR-DISMED1 are most likely to function as receptors for carbohydrates or related derivatives. In contrast to the 7TMR-DISMED1s, the 7TMR-DISMED2 domains did not recover any statistically significant hits to sequences with known structures. However, secondary structure prediction based on the multiple sequence alignment predicted that the 7TMR-DISMED2s are likely to adopt an all -fold with at least 8 extended regions (Figure 5). The average size of the domain and the distribution of the lengths of the extended regions matched that of several carbohydrate-binding domains, such as the discoidin domain, the cellulose binding domains of cellulases and the fucose-binding domain, which share a common jelly roll topology with the 7TMR-DISMED1s [50,51]. Hence, it is plausible that the 7TMR-DISMED2s represent yet another distinct superfamily of the carbohydrate binding jelly roll fold. This would imply that the 7TMRDISMED2s could also potentially function as sensors for carbohydrate or related ligands. Previous studies have shown that mapping of residues conserved in specific subgroups of a protein family on the surface view of a representative structure of that domain

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throw more light on the mechanisms of action of 7TMRDISMs, we constructed a homology model for the 7TM domain of a representative bacterial receptor using the vertebrate visual rhodopsin and the bacteriorhodopsin as templates. We then plotted the residues conserved in the two major subgroups (see below) of 7TMR-DISMs on to the surface view of this model. Several residues that were specifically conserved in the 7TMR-DISMs, which possessed 7TMR-DISMED1s, formed distinctive patches on the rim of the tubular 7TM structure (Figure 3B). These regions could represent regions of contact between the extracellular (or periplasmic) 7TMR-DISMED1 and the outer surface of the 7TM domain. This would imply that the alterations of the contacts between the extracellular domain and the 7TM domain upon ligand-binding, are likely generate the necessary conformational change for propagating an internal signal. The domain-architectural organization of most of the 7TMR-DISMs closely resembles that of the animal glutamate receptors and vertebrate taste receptors [11,54]. Hence, it is possible that these receptors could act through a similar mechanism in which the signal is relayed via an interplay between the extracellular ligand-binding domain and the 7TM domain.
Evolutionary diversification of the 7TMR-DISMs in bacteria We analyzed the evolutionary history of the 7TMR-DISMs by constructing phylogenetic trees with the alignments of the conserved 7TMR domains using the neighbor-joining, least square and maximum-likelihood methods (Figure 2). These trees showed that the 7TMR-DISMs were divided into two major clusters that corresponded to forms fused to either 7TMR-DISMED1 or 7TMR-DISMED2 at their Ntermini. A small number of proteins in either group lacked a distinct extracellular globular domain, suggesting secondary loss of these domains. Phyletic pattern of the 7TMR-DISMs is patchy: two relatively closely related bacteria may differ in having or lacking a gene for such a receptor, whereas two distantly related bacteria may possess closely related receptors. The phylogenetic tree shows that forms from distantly related bacteria occasionally group together, with statistically significant support for their grouping (Rell BP>80%, for 10000 boot strap replicates). For example, one such well-supported cluster (Fig. 2) contains proteins from phylogenetically distant bacteria, such as, GC Gram positive bacteria, spirochaetes and -proteobacteria. This suggests a dynamic history for the 7TMR-DISM genes, which as in the case of many other bacterial signaling proteins, is likely to have involved lateral transfer between distantly related taxa and sporadic gene loss.

Figure 3 7TMR-DISMs Models of 7TMR-DISMED1 and the TM domain of the Models of 7TMR-DISMED1 and the TM domain of the 7TMR-DISMs. (A) Prototype of the -jellyroll seen in 7TMR-DISMED1, sialate 9-O-acetylesterases, -glucoronidases and -glucosidases. The -jellyroll domain shown here is a cartoon representation of the domain from the crystal structure of -galactosidase (PDB:1GHO). Conserved residues typical of the 7TMR-DISMED1 are shown in ball stick representation. "a" stands for a conserved aromatic position. (B) A homology model of the TM domain of the 7TMRDISMs showing the distribution of conserved residues in the 7TMR-DISMs with 7TMR-DISMED1 domains. The model was constructed using bacteriorhodopsin (PDB: 1C3W) and bovine retinal rhodopsin (PDB:1F88) as templates. The N terminus of the 7TMR-DISM domain, where the extracellular domain is attached, is shown in yellow. The red color shows the distribution of residues on the external surface, which are uniquely conserved in 7TMR-DISMs with 7TMRDISMED1s. This set of proteins essentially corresponds to the lower group of sequences in Fig. 1.

may throw light on regions involved in specific interactions of those subgroups [52,53]. As such analysis could

However, the most striking pattern observed in the evolutionary tree of the 7TMR-DISMs was the presence of multiple well-supported clusters (Rell BP~70100%)

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Secondary Structure Desu7352_Dhaf_23121831 Desu1817_Dhaf_23113315 BH1549_Bhal_10174166 Desu7142_Dhaf_23121547 hrd22-1_Ddeh_6466833 Desu1754_Dhaf_23113246 LA0289_Lint_24212989 LB241_Lint_24202368 LA0815_Lint_24213515 LA3610_Lint_24216308 CAC0818_Cace_15894105 LA3614_Lint_24216313 LA2196_Lint_24214896 LA2676_Lint_24215376 LA0027_Lint_24212727 cyaA18_Lint_24217179 Reut4832_Rmet_22980118 Reut4777_Rmet_22980062 Mdeg0217_Mdeg_23026370 XCC1753_Xcam_21112846 XCC4103_Xcam_21233525 C87348_Ccre_25398225 lacZ_Ec_18073591 lacZ_Ldel_149566 lacL_Lpla_28379799 LAC4_Klac_173305 ebgA_Ec_26110092 LACZ_Kpne_114941 TM1193_Tmar_15643949 lacZ_Ssal_18265743 AAA23216_Cace_144746 lacA_Tthe_22138751 GUSB_Mmus_114964 GUSB_Hsap_4504223 uidA_Ec_15804986 consensus/85% Secondary Structure Desu7352_Dhaf_23121831 Desu1817_Dhaf_23113315 BH1549_Bhal_10174166 Desu7142_Dhaf_23121547 hrd22-1_Ddeh_6466833 Desu1754_Dhaf_23113246 LA0289_Lint_24212989 LB241_Lint_24202368 LA0815_Lint_24213515 LA3610_Lint_24216308 CAC0818_Cace_15894105 LA3614_Lint_24216313 LA2196_Lint_24214896 LA2676_Lint_24215376 LA0027_Lint_24212727 cyaA18_Lint_24217179 Reut4832_Rmet_22980118 Reut4777_Rmet_22980062 Mdeg0217_Mdeg_23026370 XCC1753_Xcam_21112846 XCC4103_Xcam_21233525 C87348_Ccre_25398225 lacZ_Ec_18073591 lacZ_Ldel_149566 lacL_Lpla_28379799 LAC4_Klac_173305 ebgA_Ec_26110092 LACZ_Kpne_114941 TM1193_Tmar_15643949 lacZ_Ssal_18265743 AAA23216_Cace_144746 lacA_Tthe_22138751 GUSB_Mmus_114964 GUSB_Hsap_4504223 uidA_Ec_15804986 consensus/85%

50 54 55 17 16 58 49 75 46 33 31 34 23 95 58 24 46 144 246 227 234 227 54 50 38 29 97 55 40 42 43 1 35 35 9

...EEEEEEEEEEEEE.........HHHH. .....EEEEE..................................EEEEEEEEEE.HHHHH..E SDQVVPLDGQWEFYWHQLLE---PGGEPDSAANVIQVPGFWRND--------MATRIDHAR----GAATYRLTIKLKPSD---TV EDGIIELGGEWEFYWGQLLS---PDDFKDAT PPALTGFVNVLFNWV------GKLDETKLTGM---GSGTYRLLVKNMPSE---KV TEQTITLDGEWAFYPSTWLI---DKNNLNNV 3 NALSIEVPGGWKH--------VLSPEKEVPY----GYGSYQLKIFVDPEDN--MT RDKTVKLSGEWEFYFGQLLT---PEDFKNQE 2 GKTIQNVPASWGS--------YQIEGEHLPPQ---GSATYRLRILLPAEG---GN DDGIIELNGEWEFYWGQLLS---PDDFKHSN 3 MTGYLNVLSDWI---------GNLDQTQLAAM---GSGTYRLLVKNVPSEE--VL KDRSVFLNGEWDFYPGKLLQ---PEELPKETHYFMKVPGGW----------DKTKGAFLQKSR ---GNGTYRLSVKLPELQ---EQ QHGPVALQGDWIFRWKEFIK---NPKIDSEKNRIMPVPKAWTRI-------QEPNGKNYPGT---GIATYFLKVILPENLS-SNN NIESINLKGNWEFCWDQWIP---PNAEESQW 3 CNGFYPAPAYWKF--------YNIPGKNLSPF---GKATYRLKVILPTSF--HDS K-NTVQLDGNWEFYWKELTH---GNFTTPKNTSYFPVPGIW-----------RDYDPNFTPE---GYATYRLRVLCECIN---KN DFGMTKLNGEWEFSWLQGPE---KGIENH-SVEFIGVPGSWTN--------ESKSNQTYPKF---GYGIYRLKVFLPEIWK-KKI VYKGNINLKNYDFDKNKIVKLE-GQLELYNN 12 SSRYLTVPSELKD--------------QLK--GKVDEYMTLHLMVQAKD---DVV FAFPIDLTKDWKIISGKNLNAS-IKDVSWKELKSLPIPEDSISF-----------SEGIY--TLTLLKTFEVSANDFQKLA-LDG EENFQDLSGIWEVYVSLVSEDL-QTNKNLKQ 3 RWEPIPIPSNLKDF------------IKWN--SSNEEILLRKQFDFRNVA--DTS VSLDSTKEHGWEITLQKIDPVA-FSDSYLKG 8 EAYEAPGVYIL----------------PEE--SIQTAFIVKKFIAPKNWK--GSG SFLKNKKEKLNIETNSREKES--KDFKNWKLITRFPVNFNFLF--------SIPKQSGFH--DVTVKVEFSIHSDSIFLTFLKQP WKPIDLRKGNWIAVEGFQREYL-NGIDSTFS 3 KISHFPVVLNEIF--------ETSVETGLK--EYTLQTRFHIQEDFQKTKV-YKP AASAWAQTPTAQCSVRILTVST-AEAGPHGA 5 QWRSVTLPDDWNR--------------RQP--GFGGSVWYRIDWQRECPGTLREP VLLAGAASARAQSEAVAFTRIE-AAQSTWQD 6 GWVPVSLPDIWST--------------RWP--GFDGVVWYRLSWQGADP---RQP INSDKKAQAQWHNQLTQNDKGT-AEELPWYA 6 NWHSMQVPGYWANHP------------SFKDES TINGNVWFRKTLTLPNDAA-NEA KQRDAAAQAATGKRIGRWPKVD-GDTPQWRT 6 DWDSIPVTQQWELS-------------GYE--GMDGIAWYRTTFTLTAAEA-KAG ATSPTDAAPRWGKLWETWWRAH-GDGAPWQP 2 PGAWQPAPATLGAWD-------EWGVPQLV--GFNGMVWYRSTVELTAAQA-AQD ARDPALGVARWSQSLGRWADAKIPAAKGWEK 6 AWKPMPTEGFWEQA-----------APDLA--GFDGTVWLRLELTLTKAQA-AQG SQQLRSLNGEWRFAWFPAPE---AVPESWLE 4 EADTVVVPSNWQMHGYDA---PIYTNVTYPITV 6 TENPTGCYSLTFNVDESWLQEGQ SSLVQSLDGDWLIDYAENG----QGPVNFYA 6 NFKSVKVPGNLELQGFGQ---PQYVNVQYPWDG 10 SKNPLASYVRYFDLDEAFW-DKE SRFIKSLNGAWRFNFAKTPA---ERPVDFYQ 6 DFDTIQVPGHIELAGYGQ---IQYINTLYPWEG 23 ADNTVGSYLKTFDLDDVFK-GQR QDIFESLNGPWAFALFDAP----LDAPDAKN 7 KWSTISVPSHWELQEDWKYGKPIYTNVQYPIPI 6 TVNPTGVYARTFELDSKSIESFE SSLFLPLSGQWNFHFFDHPL---QVPEAFTS 4 DWGHITVPAMWQMEGHGK---LQYTDEGFPFPI 6 SDNPTGAYQRIFTLSDGWQ-GKQ SSRRRQLDGSG-SSLTPAAR---LPSMRVVT 4 DCRGTPVPSNWQMEGYDA---PIYTNVRYPIDT 6 EDNPTGCYSLHFTVEDTWRENGQ EEFI-SLNGNWRFLFAKNPF---EVPEDFFS 6 NWDEIEVPSNWEMKGYGK---PIYTNVVYPFEP 7 DDNPTGVYRRWIEIPEDWF-KKE MKLRQSLNGKWKIHYAQNTN---QVLKDFYK 6 DLNFINVPGHLELQGFGS---PQYVNTQYPWDG 11 ESNAVASYVKHFTLNDALK-DKK MPLKQNLNGKWRFSYSENSS---LRIKEFYK 6 WIDYIEVPGHIQLQGYDK---CQYINTMYPWEG 11 TYNPVGSYVTFFEVKDELK-NKQ MRKIIPINNNWYFKADYEEG---YEKVDDLR 7 PHTNIELPYNYFDEKMY----QIKSCYKYPLHI 1 EKYRDKVIYIHFEGV-------SRELKALDGLWHFRADLSNNRLQGFEQQWYR 7 PVLDMPVPSSFNDITQEA---ALRDFIGWVWYE 9 TQDTDMRVVLRINSA-------SRECKELDGLWSFRADFSDNRRRGFEEQWYR 7 PTVDMPVPSSFNDISQDW---RLRHFVGWVWYE 9 TQDLRTRVVLRIGSA-------TREIKKLDGLWAFSLDRENC---GIEQRWWE 4 ESRAIAVPGSFNDQFADA---DIRNYVGNVWYQ 6 KGWAGQRIVLRFDAV-------.......ps.a............................h.ls..h.................h...........s...h...h...........

EEEEEEEEE.EEEEEEE.EEEEEEE.........EEEE.............EEEEEEEEEEE....................EEEEEeEEEEEE. YGLRISNIRMASAIYVNGNQAGGSGK PALTQDEYQYENKPYNV 3 VQGDTAEILIHVANY--------ENNQGGIPYRLYFGSAQ LPIKKSNIRMSSVIFVNGKKIIQDGR PALLENEYLFSNIPRLG 1 FEQRSPEILVQVSNY--------DYIYGGIVAPLILGETQ YSIRVPSVRSASALYVDGRLIAGSGQ LGESEADYVASNLPYTA 4 NGSGVIEVVIQAANFK-------DTRNGGIIRSIKFGPEN FGIKITCISASARIFADDQLILECGS PGNSPETTVHKYYADTG 3 TDDGEVEILVQAADF--------SYVNSGILYEIHFGDQK AIKKSNIRTSSAVFVNGEKIIQDGRP -ALLENEYLFSNIPRVG 3 LHSSDIEILVQVSNY--------DYMYGGIVAPLLLGETQ LGLKIHNIWMAHRLFINGQLVKESGL PSDSLEGYQALNTPYVV 2 EPAEELEIVIQVSNQ--------VHFTGGIAHPIQLGLKN LAILAETSETAYEVWIDDNKIGAQGV PGETAATSTPEWNVKIL 3 INKKEFQIRIPLSNF--------YHARGGLTARLILGNED YGIRWTEILSAFQIFINNKSVAQIGV LGTDFNTMTPKLKPDRT 3 PQNNQMTIVIWVSNF--------NHQNHGFWQPIYLGKWE FKIRIPRLPGVYEVYLDNQKVYSNGF VGTNSVETLFLAHPLIT 3 VSSGDFYITVNVSTFK------GNYLKGGIRKPFLIGNSN LSVSLGAIASAYRIKINEQIIGECGT PGIDPDSIVSRIEPRDF 3 ADEDEVQIEIFVSNY--------TSTMPGILLPISIGPSD YGLKIDELLMDSKVWINGILQDKAGI 7 ERQVYLPGYYYFTAK-NGIIDIVIQPSN----HINIFHV 3 IYFSTKDKIMNEFIINAS LSIHFPLLTNVYEVYFNGEKIGSGGI 7 KDGFKRHVILPIPENKV 1 IGKNEIRLILSSN---AGEELNV 1 ASFDSAPLVIDLQSKNVL FSISLGKISDQVRVFWNGQELSEELF 7 PQGYDRTRIYSISENKI FKKNEILIYIKPY---FDYEYGI 2 GQLEIGPSAI-IWKRFYL LAVRLGTLTDKDKTYLNGTLIGETGD 5 PQAYDKIRIYQIPNGLI 1 KDEVNILVIEVKKY--FQKEIGI 2 DKTAIGDSLL-IQKELLE TAIYFPDLGENWELYLNGIPIRKEKF 10PSVRRSLKSVILPIPSG 3 EGKNTILIYMIG----ESDFTHY 3 EHFGFYHSKGYKILSLEQ IFLYLESIGENWEIFLNDHSLAQEIH 9 LRRTIRSFRLPVDSSLL 1 SGENLLTFRLIGDAP-ASFLSKN 3 GFYIDGDYSLTTEQKLSG VALVLQSVVMAGEAFINDEPLWRDAQ 7 SWNLPRHWRLPEAWIHDGVNTLWVRVVGV---AGQSLGL GPVFVGDSLA-MQQRYDE VALLLDYLNMAGAVYLNGSLLMRDTS 7 AWNTPRYQLLPASLLREGVNTLLVRVSGL---SAYQPGL -GPVSIAAPEHLRPAYDR GQIWLGTIVDADTVYINGHKIGNTGYQYPPRLYPINKNILQAGENTIVVKITSNHGKGGFVLDK PYWLEVNNTRYDLKGEWQ VQLGVGQIDDSDITYVNGQQVGQTEK QWNLPRVYAVPAAALRAGVNQIAVRVEDLSGGGGMHGPD 1 QRFVQIGSTQ-RALAGWK ATLLLGPVDELDQTWVNGHAVGSSYGADQPRRYSVPRGQLQAGRNSIVLNVLNTYRRGGLLGDA 3 ALQFADGSRV-PLDRPWQ ATLALGPVDDIDTTFLNGREIGSTQRWDTPRTYRLAPGALKAGRNVLALRVIDMGGGGGPWGKA 3 GLTLADGTFV-PLPTAWR TRIIFDGVNSAFHLWCNGRWVGYGQD -SRLPSEFDLSAFLR-AGENRLAVMVLRWSD-GSYLEDQ DMWRMSGIFRDVSLLHKP VSLKFDGAATAIYVWLNGHFVGYGED -SFTPSEFMVTKFLK-KENNRLAVALYKYSS-ASWLEDQ DFWRMSGLFRSVTLQAKP IIIQFQGVEEALYVWLNGHFIGYSED -SFTPSEFDLTPYIQ-DQGNVLAVRVYKHST-AAFIEDQ DMFRFSGIFRDVNILAEP HRLRFEGVDNCYELYVNGQYVGFNKG -SRNGAEFDIQKYVS-EGENLVVVKVFKWSD-STYIEDQ DQWWLSGIYRDVSLLKLP TLIKFDGVETYFEVYVNGQYVGFSKG -SRLTAEFDISAMVK-TGDNLLCVRVMQWAD-STYVEDQ DMWWSAGIFRDVYLIGKQ TQIIFDGVNSAFHLWCNGVWVGYSQD -SRLPAAFDLSPFLR-PGDNRLCVMVMRWSA-GSWLEDQ DMWRMSGIFRSVWLLNKP IFLHFEGVRSFFYLWVNGKKIGFSKD -SCTPAEFRLTDVLR-PGKNLITVEVLKWSD-GSYLEDQ DMWWFAGIYRDVYLYALP VFISFQGVATSIFVWVNGNFVGYSED -SFTPSEFEISDYLV-EGDNKLAVAVYRYST-ASWLEDQ DFWRLYGIFRDVYLYAIP TFISFQGVETAFYVWVNGEFVGYSED -TFTPSEFDITDYLR-EGENKLAVEVYKRSS-ASWIEDQ DFWRFSGIFRDVYLYAVP --------MAYAQVYLNGLYIGEHKG -GYTPFDIRIDEVYDWK KELNMLTVVVDSTER-SDIPPKG 3 DYLTYGGIYREVSLGIYD --------HYYAVVWVNGIHVVEHEG -GHLPFEADISKLVQSG 9 AINNTLTPHTLPPGT-IVYKTDT 14 DFFNYAGLHRSVVLYTTP --------HSYAIVWVNGVDTLEHEG -GYLPFEADISNLVQVG 10 AINNTLTPTTLPPGT-IQYLTDT 14 DFFNYAGLQRSVLLYTTP --------THYGKVWVNNQEVMEHQG -GYTPFEADVTPYVIAG 7 CVNNELNWQTIPPGM-VITDENG 8 DFFNYAGIHRSVMLYTTP ..l..........hahNs..l.................h..............s.l.l.h.......................s...........

194 200 206 165 164 201 197 225 189 179 196 193 183 256 226 196 205 301 406 384 394 388 224 224 226 204 266 224 211 218 219 157 223 224 180

\A | | | | | | | | / \ | | | | | | / \B | | / \C | | | | | | | | | | | /

and -glucosidases alignment of the 7TMR-DISMED1 and accessory domains of sialate 9-O-acetylesterases, -glucoronidases Figure 4 Multiple sequence Multiple sequence alignment of the 7TMR-DISMED1 and accessory domains of sialate 9-O-acetylesterases, glucoronidases and -glucosidases.Multiple sequence alignment the 7TMR-DISMED1 was constructed as detailed in the legend to Figure 1. The PHD-secondary structure [78] is shown above the alignment with E representing a strand, and H an -helix. In addition to the convention described in Fig. 1 the consensus also shows the aliphatic subset of the hydrophobic class (l; ALIVMC, yellow shading) and the aromatic subset of the hydrophobic class (a; FHWY, yellow shading). The families shown to the right are A 7TMR-DISMED1, B accessory domains of sialate 9-O-acetylesterases and C accessory domains of glucoronidases and -glucosidases. The species abbreviations are as shown in Table 1 and Kpne Klebsiella pneumoniae; Klac Kluyveromyces lactis; Ldel Lactobacillus delbrueckii; Lpla Lactobacillus plantarum; Ssal Streptococcus salivarius; Tthe Thermoanaerobacterium thermosulfurigenes; Hsap Homo sapiens; Mmus Mus musculus.

Page 9 of 20
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BMC Genomics 2003, 4

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/4/34

Secondary Structure Psyr2444_Psyr_23470811 PP4781_Pput_24986538 Pflu4318_Pflu_23062251 PP4824_Pput_24986585 PA3974_Paer_9950164 Magn8928_Mmag_23016342 Mdeg0804_Mdeg_23026970 PA3462_Paer_9949605 Mdeg0691_Mdeg_23026847 C83029_Paer_11350324 Chut0509_Chut_23135396 Avin0379_Avin_23102206 Chut1543_Chut_23136440 PA4856_Paer_15600049 Mmc12300_Msp_23000642 Chut1592_Chut_23136490 Chut3598_Chut_23138550 Chut2183_Chut_23137079 Magn8953_Mmag_23016367 Chut0774_Chut_23135667 Chut0775_Chut_23135668 Chut2463_Chut_23137358 Avin0870_Avin_23102702 Rrub0628_Rrub_22966033 Chut2884_Chut_23137778 Chut2495_Chut_23137390 Rrub0627_Rrub_22966032 Avin3704_Avin_23105533 XF0986_Xf_9105918 Avin2657_Avin_23104497 Pflu4190_Pflu_23062112 LA3996_Lint_24198039 SO4207_Sone_24350618 LA3986_Lint_24216685 LA4269_Lint_24216967 SO1570_Sone_24373140 Psyr2376_Psyr_23470745 SMc00074_Smel_15073849 AGR_C_1434_Atum_15888127 AG3433_Bmel_25526193 Rpal2189_Rpal_22962895 bll1502_Bjap_27349754 consensus/90%

41 28 25 25 28 44 20 32 52 81 35 42 34 44 49 31 41 34 45 32 34 49 57 27 42 54 15 61 65 42 27 36 36 39 42 28 109 49 49 44 25 24

.....EEEEE........HHHH........................EEEEEEEEEE..........EEEEEE.....EEEEEEE.......EEEEE.................EEEEEE......EEEEEEEEE....EEEEEEEE.. LPLGRAIQVFEDPTGEATIESVSAAAHASAFKPVPPGTFNAGYSRSAFWLKVELTYRPTDASIHNDWLLELAYPPMDHIDFYGPDADGQ-PTRAWHTGDMLPFSS-RQFAQNNYLFQLDLP-PGQTRTLYMRIRSEGAVQAPLYLWST LPLGKAMQVYEDPDGNASIAQVSAPGFAKHFQPHHEDVLNAGYSTSVFWLKVELRPTAAPNAAPRSWLLELAYPPLDHLELYLPDSSGL-YRLAQRTGDALPYDS-RQIRQNNYLFELQLP-PGKVTTAYLRLHSQGSVQAPLALWSP AAQGSGWSVLLDDQGNLQLSDIRSARYTNQFSPIELDRLTAAEPDGALWLRFRLAPG------KHEQVLRIFAPDLSHLNLYVLDGDR--LIEQRDTGTAQPQAE-RPLPSSDFMLPLPQ--SDKPLDVYLRLVSDHQLRPYITLQAA AEHDGGWTVLLDEQANLQLSDVRSERYRNQFSPLPLADLDAAPAGQALWLHYRLAPG------DQEQLLRVFAPDLSGLDLYALEGEQ--LLRQLHHGRQAGNAS-PTLRGSDHVLPLPN--SRQPLDIYLRLVSEHQLRPAISLEPA LPLGQSIDVFEDVRGSADINDITSRAIDSSFRRHDKDVLNAGYSRSVFWLRLDLDYRPVASSDPRTWLLELAYPPLDKLDLYLPDGQGG-YRLAQRTGDTLPFAS-RPIRQNNYLFELGLE-PNKPQRVYLRLESQGSIQAPLTLWSP QPLGGQWSALRDPSGTLRIEDVAQSEAAHGFAPL-PGNLAAGYDRGAWWLSAEIRRTADA---SADWLLEVEPAFLDEVTLFTGDGQG--GFRAVTIGDRVPFSA-RQLAYRTLVFRLHLP-DDLPLRVYLRIKSTSTISVSAQILSP LVIQQGLAFLEDKSGALSFEDVQTR---GDWQLQASGNFSQGYNRSAWWLKFELLNTQQ----ANIWLLEVAYPILDYVTVYVGNPQG--VYTKVEMGDKLPFDS-RPIKHRNFLVPLDLT-KREPVTIYIRVASSSSVQFPLVLWEP LSLGAYAEYYRDAGGKARLGDILALPA-QAFAALRGDHANFGKNAAAWWFRVRLDNRNGA---DLAGFLEVNYPLLDDLKVYLLTADG--RIEQQESGDLFAFSQ-RPVQVRNFWFPLRLP-PGES-TLLLRVQSTSTVYLPLYFSTY LELDNNFKLYEDVSASATIDDVAQVFEDEATTQFSVGDTNIGYSSSAWWVKLSFHNPQSA---PKEIILRQAYPLIDNLQLWTRSYES--HWSVKQYGDKFPFSH-REIYHREFLFPLIIP-ARSTKEYFLRYESEGSLDIALSIHEP AWLNGSLDLLEDPDGNLAVEDLEQAEQAGRFVAA-AGRTSVGLSRSAWWLRLDLPRREAV---SGGWWLEVASASLHDLRLYLPDERG--GFREHRSGEAVPFAEGRDHAYRHPLFRIPP--GDGPLRVYLRSYDPGGNAFPLRLWSH EIQPQFVEQLQDPAASYTIDQVSSPLFAAKFKATGETMLRNTNRQAAYWLKLRIINHTDK---SQQWLIESFNFRINEISCFLQTDS---GFTEVVEGDMYAFKQ-RSVGHKNFEFLLPN--DRDSIICYLRIKTKQPASFELFIRRF LSLGPYTLYVEDRDADLDAAQVLAMPE-SAFRPVEGDQANLGQSRSAWWFRVDLQNARDQ---SLGGFLEVNYPLLDDVRLTVLTPDG--RQLQQESGDTRPPGM-RPVPIRNLWFPLELP-PGTS-TLLVRVKSSSAITIPLYFGTS EWRKGNYAIYRDTVRNLPLSRILELQREGIFKKTTSDAPRLQSSRQDMWAKVIVYNGSLN---QTEWLIELYDFHIDEYDIYILQKDS--LYAHFTGGDLQPFHK-RKIEHKNFIHEIVFE-PHQLYTLFIRIHSRQSVAVNGVVRTF PSANQNWRLLRDESAQLRIADVLQRK--EQFRPLAKRSFIFPASPQAVWLQVQLPAQK-----VPSW-LWIFAPRVQYLDYYLVQDGQ--LVRDQHTGESRPFQE-RPLPSRSYLFSLPV--DGKPMTLYVRMTSNHPLMAWFDQIDE QSLQGHFQLLPAQATPLTIEQVIKPQITQQFLNINWGFAGGFQS-GERWLRVNLEREPDA---PSRWIIELGSALLDRLELYIPTPTPG-HYQRVVLGDHTPLNQ-RPMASRLYSVPLDLG-SAPQTTLYLRLQTLQMMTLFGTIWQE IPIGGYSEIFTDPGNTHTIQDVIKT---GQFVAANSSTPNLGISPNAFWVKFTIQNQSD----ADKLLLEYDLPFIDEISVYEVDKDKNEVTGVHTSGDKYNFSN-REYDYQNYIFSIAIK-KNEIKDIYLFIKSGEQIVLPIMLGST MKIDKGIMYFQDETNLLTINDIVSR---KDFIAVNQKVPNLGVTSSAQWLKITIKNTTD----VPKLLLKVDFPIIDEIEFYSFEDG---KMRIEKMGEYKDFSE-RRYNDPNYIYDITIK-NNQTQTYYLKIKSGEQIMLPITIGTP SLSDNYITILEDTTAAFSITEVIAADSAQQFKQA-SYNFNI-HPASVYWIKFTVKNEGDV---FTQYVIENYYAHAKEFSVFYQEHG---KLFQQKTGEYVTYKN-RNFSHKNLVLDLPAPQAGNERTFYLKVYSGLYVNFNFVINNQ RPLDGYLTFLEDRESAFSIEDVARH---GVFEAV-TPRRPGLISGGTLWYRFTVKRTAGA---AEDWVLAFGEPDIDDVRVYVTKPGG--SFTETLLGRRLPARQ-LDVAVRLHAANLSLP-EEIPTTVYIRLSSLHKIRFEAAALWR LNIGNKASIRIDTNQTYTIHQILSDT--PEYVYP-EAMPNLGLSSYVYWATFDLVNTS-----SENLILKFNQPLLNEITLYRTDGK---SLSEITYSESEPFLS-RKYYYPSYAFDMNAN-MGDTITYVLRFKSNEPIIFDVDIANQ INIGNQAAIYADTNQTYTIHQILSGTP-KRIYS--SAMPNLGLSNHVYWATFNFVNIS-----PEKLILKFNQPLLNEVTLYRADGK---TLSEVTYSEKNVFFS-RKYYYPFYAFDMNAG-MGDTITYVLKFKSNEPIIFDVDIATE YVVRKYAEYYEDQQRGKKITEIAGKVPFKKISEK-DLDFTNNNLTSAYWLHFYVVNHTPD---LTDFIIEMYDYDINEVDLYIKDSKG--SFIEKKSGLDFPFDT-RDFAHKNICFKLSIP-LADTTEVYMRLYSSSINVFEPVIKTH LDLHPHLQLLHDPGGRLQAEEVMASGQ-AFAPAAGRHDLNFGYTRDIVWLRLDLESRAKE---VREWQIEFLYPSLDRIELFGIGE------APLLGGDRVPAGQ-RDSPHLSPAFSVRLA-PGERRSLFFRTQSSGTLTLDAQLWES ADHILARAFLEDPAGVLTIDEVAR----GDFTPF-GPNFSKGYTQSVYWVRLLVRASAA----PEKTVLFIRPSFLNEVRLFYRDRASPDGWATRVSGNRYPFSE-RDRKSVALGFVVDV--THPQEEFYLRIKTNTQMQIDVQAVSP YVDEKSQVCIIDSSNFQEWNPVNR----MSYPPTSKFFRNRSID-HAAWYTFKITNTSRT---ALEWYLVSYNYSIDEIDLTTVSDAG-QTEEFQFRDTTSIYN--RIIKHKQPVFKVSLK-ANETKTYYLRLKNESTYNYVFALYSH PLRSGLIHVFEDTDNSCTSVESVQT---KTFRPANSYFFSTPNPSSTYWGKFILTDNSSI---NNHWFFISYNYSIDSLDIFAFKKSTLQFHKKYRFGSPNETT--KEIRHKNFTVDFPVS-KNDTLTVYIKLKNKNATQYDFALVEH EDLVVSRAYIEDPGGVLSIDDVVSR---AAVPF--DAVLSKGFSASVYWVRLRVRAPEA----GARTVLLISPSFLNDVRLFRRDPKAAQGWEVRVTGNLHPFAE-RERKAVSLSFVVGV--SPPQEDFYFRIKTRSPMTFEVQALSV LVLQPWLRVFEDARADMSLEQILALPE-ERLSAATAHLLAPGYSRSAFWLRLELENRTGQ---ACQWWLFPGSARARDMILHQQEAG---GWSRQVAGAWHPLAE-WTMPTRLPAFEVGLP-AGTSKVLWLRLASDYAFVMQPMLLSH AQSLMLERLDDDPPAHEVLAGVYDA---MLRPNDTGGASIYETARHPVWWRIRADRQISA---AGQPKLQIEFPYLNWVEAWVPGRSV--PSRHAIYGAAAD----RRYATRALVIDLPEG-LPQGRAVWLRVHAQSTIPMPVSIVSN GAPNGDWRILLDESASLTLKDVIERR--DHFAPL-GHRSLTLPANQAAWLRVSIAGHD-----TPRW-IWVFAPRVDRVDFFLTNRGA--TERRIETGAMLPDG--LSTSGQAHLFDLPT--DQTTREVWLRLAPRQAAPAWFDYVDT LPLGRSLQVFEDPSGQASIADVRAQAAAGNFKPHDKATLNAGYSRSAFWLKIDLHYRPTNPSAQRSWLLELAYPPLDHLDLYLPDAAGD-YRLVRQTGDAC-----RSPVAKS-ARTITCS-TWRSSRISSEPFICGCPAKARSRRRSLSFFVYYFSSDSDENFRERIFAKDSS-LSFQNIPAEVFSLGFTSNTVWFYIPLKNDTEK---DYRGEFEIFNSYLEEVDIFYRYGSKD-SIHEILAGTS------RVYEKSFPALNFYLR-PGEEIQIVCKIKSGTPMRIPIVLESE NLMPWLTVTHLNTTSELADIQALPK---TKWHQF-TSGDIQRLSQHNFWLTFSIQSGDE----SLSRILALDNPLLDKVTLYHLVGNQ--LINTTYMGDTLPYQQ-RPLLSNIFLYPFKIN-ANEQHTFYLHIETEGNAAVPINLWSA ICEFDQIEFALDPDLSNEVPKEPKKS--LVFLPKENSFLKLGFIKESVWIRFNIKQYP-----RSRCFLRIPQVTLDGAALFAK-------SSVQITGDRFRYSE-RFVDDYYVFYPLEPLDIQKEKNQYYLWIKTSSIINFPIFLES NISSLIEYRYRGQQFAGCSPEHIDGLEDLEWHQIPTEVLRVKRTPFGNWLRFSVKNSEST---IQSRILLLGWLNVPDTQLCFFDKSG--KFVSARSGYSNDIED-EKILTNLPHFRIDLE-PNENRIFYLFVLSNEDINYRIQIMGL IALDSPYLFHAEA-KQLPPADFKEV---SQWMGQLKEASSVSLTGGDYWMVSPVMVNSR----QTRWVVDASNSIIESVDYWLLGSDG--SVQFAHSGYYAPY---EFLFDYGRKVRLNM--GTDYWLVTRLSSQYFSSAPEVALESQ AEHGAGWSTLLDEKAHLTLDEIRSARYQNQFSPIELERVTAADRDSALWLHYRLQPT------QHEQLLRIFAPDLSSADMYVMDGDR--QIDHVRTGNDVPIED-QRLPSNDFLLPVPQ--SSAPLDIYLRLVSAQKMRPSITL-EP LDLTATTEIYSGRGDAFQVSTAPGTD--GIVRRIEVRSSTE--NHQGDWAVFALANVSEEQ--LERVIVAPHFRLVNSKLFWPDLGS---QRILSITPSEGFALD-RQPSEEADVFRITLN-PGAVITFVAEL--TTPELPQIYLWQP LDLTATTDIYANQGEAFQVSTAPGPD--GIRRRIEVRASSE--DHQGDWAVFALANVSEEQ--LERVIVAPHFRLVNSKLFWPDLGS---QRIIAITPSEGFALD-RQPSPDADVFRITLN-PGSVITFVAEL--STPQLPQIYLWEP LDLSRAVELLRNKGESVQVSTMPGPD--GIVRRIEVQSDQNA-NASGDWAAFSIANPTDEQ--IDRLIVAPHFRLVGSGVIWPDLGS---PRIASITPSEGFALD-RQPSADADVFRITLN-PGSVITFVAEL--SSHNLPQLYLWEP IDLTGVLEHLHSDNDRVQISTAPGND--GIVRRVEVRAREG----GQNWVVFALANNSDDQ--LDRLIVAPHYRMVGSGLLWPDLGM---SRIATITPSTGDRPE-RQDSATADIFRVTLD-PGSVITFVAEL--RTDKLPQLYLWEP IDLTGVLEHQRSDADRIQVSTAPGTD--GIVRRIEVRAREG----GQNWVVFALANNTDDQ--LDRLIVAPHYRIVSSGLLWPDLGL---SRIATITPSTGDRPE-RQESPTADVFRVTLD-PGAVITFVAEL--RTDKLPQLYLWEP ...........s........ph........h...............s.Wh.h.l...........p..l......lp...ha...............s........p........h.h..........hhhch...........h.p.

185 172 161 161 172 183 156 170 192 220 173 180 174 178 189 169 176 172 182 166 168 188 192 162 177 192 150 199 199 174 165 171 171 171 182 160 244 183 183 179 157 156

Figure sequence alignment of the 7TMR-DISMED2s Multiple5 Multiple sequence alignment of the 7TMR-DISMED2s.Multiple sequence alignment the 7TMR-DISMED2 domain was constructed as detailed in the legend to Figure 1. The 90% consensus follows the same convention as in Figure 1 and 2. The species abbreviations are as shown in Table 1.

comprised entirely or largely of proteins from a single organism (Figure 2). These lineage specific expansions [55] accounted for almost all of the 7TMR-DISMs in organisms such as, Desulfitobacterium, Leptospira and Cytophaga, which contained multiple copies of these 7TM domains. Furthermore, some diversity was observed in the intracellular domains associated with the 7TM domains from the proteins belonging to these lineage specific clusters (Figure 2). This suggested that the 7TMRDISM evolved through lineage specific expansion of the 7TM domain in various bacterial lineages, accompanied by some domain shuffling in their C-terminal intracellular modules. The lineage specific expansion of these 7TMRs is reminiscent of the evolution of the eukaryotic 7TMRs such as the odorant receptors of vertebrates and chemoreceptors of nematodes [55]. The predicted role, for at least a subset of these receptors, in carbohydrate sensing, is consistent with their expansion in Cytophaga hutchinsonii that is known to actively metabolize polysaccharides [56]. The expansion in Leptospira implies that this spirochete too may respond to diverse carbohydrates. Alternatively, it could also utilize its numerous

7TMR-DISMs to recognize different carbohydrates on host cell surfaces to regulate its motility.
7TMR-HD: a novel family of bacterial receptors with a HD hydrolase domain Another family of potential bacterial 7TMRs that was recovered by our receptor search procedure was typified by slr0104 from Synechocystis. This family of receptors is present in cyanobacteria, spirochetes like Leptospira and Treponema, most low GC Gram positive bacteria, some proteobacteria, like Magnetospirillum and Geobacter, Chloroflexus, Fusobacterium and Chlamydia pneumoniae (Figure 6). All members of this family are characterized by the presence of an intracellular HD hydrolase domain [57] Cterminal to the 7TM domain. Accordingly, we named these receptors as 7TMR-HD (for 7TM receptors with intracellular HD domains). The majority of 7TMR-HD proteins also contain a distinct domain N-terminal to the 7TM domain that is predicted to localize to the extracellular or periplasmic compartment, based on the presence of a signal peptide. Analysis of the predicted topology and searches against a position specific score matrix library of

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Secondary structure
YQFF_Bsub_16079587 lin1503_Linn_16800571 lmo1466_Lmon_16803506 Efae2969_Efae_22993455 Desu2389_Dhaf_23113918 CAC1292_Cace_15894574 CTC02023_Ctet_28204087 CPE2019_Cper_18311001 Chte1004_Cthe_23020923 TTE0971_Tten_20807451 Gmet0579_Gmet_23053661 LA1683_Lint_24214383 Ddes1875_Ddes_23474958 TP0651_Tpal_15639638 FNV0454_Fnuc_27886299 Chlo0060_Caur_22969909 Tery2872_Tery_23042199 slr0104_Ssp_16331836 Npun2210_Npun_23125890 alr2784_Ana_17230276 Npun0472_Npun_23124089 Pmit0951_Pmar_23131657 Synwh0656_Syn_23133329 Mmc12334_Msp_23000675 yqfF_Cpne_15617972 TM1508_Tma_15644256 BA_4976_Bant_21402351 consensus/95% 276 290 290 288 289 260 269 260 290 261 320 327 301 364 282 285 333 376 326 415 456 273 264 392 260 32 276

.|||||||||||||||||||||.............|||||||||||||||||||..........||||||||||||||||||..|||||||||||||||||. FKPISGLLIMIGLFIATLVYYFEKQKQNLKFK-NQSILLFSIITTLLLVIMEVVSLFQK 6 GYLVPIA-AGAILIKLLMNERIAILGSIILAICGSMMFN VKQYAGFAVFIIALAALLFLYTKKQTISKAKK-MQTMLIFSSVYVVSLFMLMIILFLEN 6 AFLFPAA-FAPMILKILLNEKYAFLSVLYIAVTSLFAFQ VKQYAGFAIFIIALAAILFLYTKKQTQPKAKK-MQTMLIFSSVYLVSLFMLFIILFLET 6 AFLFPAA-FAPMILKILLNEKYAFLSVIFIAVTSLLTFQ IFPLIAMVLAVLLQIGVLIYNSL-QFQNAGER-TKYVLFYVTAMSVSIVLMKFFQLFQT 6 PLFYPAA-FAPLVLSFFLNRRAGIMAGIFQAVSALFIFY WRSVAGIALIVLASIVTMTFYAHQYRKNVSDI-SKKLLLIALMMFLVLAMGKAVISLNL 9 GILIPVA-WATMTIAILVDVEIAYFSAALLSVFVGLLAD WYIYVALAVAVLIVLFLQIYYIYRYYKEIYRD-NKKIIMLCVLNIISIILARSVGIISPFLIPLA-CAPMLMILLMDSRISLFESILNCIFISLICK WYIYLSLGILIALVMTIQWIYIRKFKREIFDD-VSKLILINIFTCMFVTFARILSKQ-PFLIPLA-CIPMLFTLLIDGKLSLVVNGLTCILISCAVE LYIYIALGVLVIIVMYLQYGYIHKYYPAINKE-FSKIVMISILNVFPVILARLFGMMSNYIIPLA-CMPMLITLLLNYKISLVFSMLNVILIGGAVG FAFAGGILAIILFLSLLLILYMHNFCKKVYYN-RTDLILLSVVILMILFIARWVHEYSPLIIPIF-IATMLISILLDLRLAIMVNVVLTVAISLMIN YALIVGLFLILSLSLFLSVYYIIRLDKKIATK-KMYIELLCLTGILYLVLAVAFKGIEPLLIPAA-MLPMLVSILIDPYIAIMVDIIYSLLVGLMVS LFTGIGLFGLVLVILYFPYRFARKNIRKFSPV-TKDLLLISLVTAGMFFLLKIALTISA 14 FYLFPFA-VGPMLIRIILNSEVAMVYTAITAPLLGIMFN FASIVSILLIQTVFVVIIYIFLKKYNPKRLNDVSSNVIVFSLIWVLVLSCTIASKIFFN 11 ALFVPVG-MVCLIISFIYDEQLSIAIGFYLSFFIFMASH APRVAGVFLTALILAAGLL-FSHRTGSFSFKS-SKDIIFLSCVVLAFAGMAKGLDVLGA 14 PFLLPVA-SAGGLIGLIFSFRRCVTTSLLLAFICMAMMD SLLVSSLLLLAFLYLLAFFLFSKRMAHPPLKL-RVELLILYTSVAGYLCTLFLSKIAAL 6 IPFQPTA-LCIMLVTALVSHRSAVTSSFLIAFAVLIASQ FIIALNLVFLLVISSIFNVVTIKFYSKEILEK-NKYRSIMLLTIATLLVFRIVPSSM-IYLLPLD-TMLLLLLFIVRPRFSVFLTMMVISYMLPITD WSELLGYGLLAAILTAGISGYLHVFQPKLMTH-PRALTTLMFSIVVTLLLARLTLLVYN 2 PIFFPLA-VLAVVTTIVFTGQIGFAVSLLAAVVISVMEWRSLVVFVCIVSASVAIVVIVGKKFQSCLRRR--DHILLLLLSLSAPLLVALRI----PWTSSLP-AIGLLVGNFYGSTMGVTLVGLISVVLPIGMD WQGLLRTAGLVGGALIIFCGVSRRIHRPLRRR--DHILLCLLSVSTPVLFLLD-----PVYNNLP-AISLLTSSFYGPTLAITQVVLVGGLSAFAME WLHLIRFSGMVGLAVAIFKLVERRIYAKLRPS--DYLLILLLTLSAPLLIFLT-----KSFTGLP-AIGLLVGSFYGTAIGGTVMVLLTILLSMGTE WLALLKLGGLVTGGICIFALVETRSKCPLRQR--DRLLVLLLTLSTPGVLAMGV----PYTTWS--AVGLLLGSFYGRELSMTVIGLLLFILPMSME WRGLLKLGGVIAIAIGVFVWVERHIDYELRQR--DRLLVLLLTLSVPGLVTMGL----PYTTWS--ALGLLLGSFYGATLGLTVVGLLLPILAITFD WGPLLSRFSTALAGCGVMLLIMRRERPCLEAR--HGLLAVGLLLVTQASKLWFVPTVSPLAVIVP--PTLLLAQGLGTTCGLAWMAVESLLWPMPVN PLIWLGRFLEALVACGVMLLVMRRERPGLEVR--HALLALGLLLLAQLAKLWFQSTVSPLAVLVP--PTLILTEGLGTGCGLAWMAIAALIWPLPVN WLRVLGLSITVALFLYIGRLFLLRTAAAFPRD-RLTVEILGTLLVISASLSAVTLALGQ 13 IYLPPVA-MGSAMASLIIGARVSLPGGTMVVGTALSFLT CRSLWGAIFVVLLILLWGYGALKALCPEMLKS-PQRFMLYIAILTLSLLWCRGTEIFCA 8 PPILPFT---AVLLGYFLGLPIAGFSCTFLALLYTLGSD TFEALITLIVWFALVEMSTRYYRKYWLSEVFT-YTHLALILLGSSFIGFSFPEIGPFVT----PVYIPV----ALIELVFFSPEIAITSGFLMSLFALYRWS FQPYVGLAVLIGVLLYFMHKQFEVFLQRKRED-RPYILAYITILSITIVLMKIISLFQK 10 PVAMGTILVKLMIGDRFVFLTSMIFSVCGSIMFNEGVTS ...h......h.........................h.hh..................................hh....h....s.....h..........

Secondary structure
YQFF_Bsub_16079587 lin1503_Linn_16800571 lmo1466_Lmon_16803506 Efae2969_Efae_22993455 Desu2389_Dhaf_23113918 CAC1292_Cace_15894574 CTC02023_Ctet_28204087 CPE2019_Cper_18311001 Chte1004_Cthe_23020923 TTE0971_Tten_20807451 Gmet0579_Gmet_23053661 LA1683_Lint_24214383 Ddes1875_Ddes_23474958 TP0651_Tpal_15639638 FNV0454_Fnuc_27886299 Chlo0060_Caur_22969909 Tery2872_Tery_23042199 slr0104_Ssp_16331836 Npun2210_Npun_23125890 alr2784_Ana_17230276 Npun0472_Npun_23124089 Pmit0951_Pmar_23131657 Synwh0656_Syn_23133329 Mmc12334_Msp_23000675 yqfF_Cpne_15617972 TM1508_Tma_15644256 BA_4976_Bant_21402351 consensus/95%

...|||||||||||||||||...........||||||||||||||||||||||.............||||||||||||||||||||||||........ FNYVIGIYYLISGISGVLFL GKHNARSKILQTGLFVAFINMVVVLSLLLIQNTALSG 2 IGTLMLMGVVSGFASSVLIIGLMPFFETGFGILS STSGIAIFILLSGITSVVAL RDYSRRSAIMFSGFMVGLINMVYVLILLLVNNSTLLQ 2 TLMAIGYAFLGGFGAFILGVGVIPLFETIFGLLT ATSGITIFILLSGATSVVML RDYSRRSAIMLSGFMVGLINMIYVLLLLLINNSTLLQ 2 TLMALGYAFLGGFGAFILGVGVIPLFETIFGLLT IGTNFLTIILMSYVFSGLMA 3 RRKRISEQGSSAAMWVIIFPVMMDVILIVYQGMSFGD 2 TWLMLVCGFTGALFSFLLTIGLHPYIELMVNDDS SGWLIALIALFGGFIGVHSV SLLSQRSDLARAGLYIAAFNVLTASCIALISGMGISA WLISIGLGIVNGIFSSVLAVGTLHWFETGFGITS FNIEVTILALMSSVIAFMSF RKMKQRNDTIYAALFIAIMNALMSFSIGFLVSSNLVD NVQKASFAFIAGILSAILTIGFLPIFESIFDVVT FNVEITLLAIINVLSISIIL KKMQERNDILYSVLYISIVNVILTFSAGVLLSNNTID VVKKAGFSLIGSLLSGIFTIGFLPFFESTFDIVT FNPNIIILAILNVVLGGTLL RKMQQRNDILYSSITVAVLSSILTFSVGTLTTNNFME ILADSTFAAAGAILSGILTIGVLPFFESTFDIVT NDFKFIYMALVTGTFSAFIV SKANKRNRLSLAGIIVSAINVLLVAAINIMYKTGWEI LLKECALVFANGIMSMVITIGLLPFLESTFNVIT FNQAFIFMSLLGGLIGAIKL SSAKQRMDFVKAGLYVSAVNLVSIVGVGLLNSNDIVS VLKSGLWGIINGVFSIILVIGTLPFWEAAFDILT NSLFVVVYGLLGGIVGAHGV RHCKDRSRIYTAGVKVSVVNFAMALAFQTMSDSFLSL 1 TIWCALFALAGGLLCSAIVTGTIPLIETVFHYVT YNPTSFMLGFVSCIVSASYG RNLKKRIDFIKAGLYISGVQIIIASSGYLFDSRNYWV 15 IFKLYVLCLINGFACSTAAQFLLPIYEYLFNVPT GGTDVMLFFFLSSVWGAWVI RRAQTRQEVVWSLLPLAGGILALWCGMAFLEGSGWAR FGYGLMLASANAVLSLLLIFALSPIVELAFRYTT FHTEPTLFALLSGVSASACM RVMSSRLDIVKSSCVLAVAQPFLAATLMFAFPHAYTD AIFLLTGVAISGFLNGILVLGLLPILEALTNAPT YDLKYFTIQSIAIFATGFLS KNISTRSSVIAIGIQLAILKILLYLILSFFSVEESYG VALNTIKIFISGLFSGMLAIALLPYFERTFNILT GNDLTLAATLFASCTSAILL 1 RQADRLRSFLIAGFGVTATITILETTFWLSQQAIFTL 6 IATTVLSALANGGLTTILTFGLFNVVGRLAGQVT VDKIDWFASAVGGIVGSLVV EKMRSREEQALLGVGVGLTQGMVYLLTNLIVRANPGL 4 IIGPVGWQVLTGLIWGIVALGLSPYLEHLFDLIT IVWEYLLGSAAAALLAGMIA SKLRSRDELALLGVGVGATQGIVYLFTYLIVNASAVT 5 ALPSAIVYGLLGLAWSAMAIGVSPYLERLFDVVT LSWHYLVPSAAGGILGGLMA 8 EALRTREELATLGILIGLTQGVVYLLVNTAIAPLWYA VLGAAVLNGLAGLVWSILALGLSPYLEALFDLVT ISTIGLVAGAAGGILGSYIA HRLRSREELALLGGAIALTQGGVYLLMKVLIGAAFGS 4 ILQEAGLFTLSGLAWSVVALGLSPYLEKLFDLVT MSKAALLAGAGGAILGSYIA QRLRSREELALLGVAIALTQGSIYLIVKILIGQAFGS 4 VLREAGFFALSGLGWSVVALGLSPYLEKVFDLVT LGEGRMIIACAIAAVAAIYS RRLRSRAQLLQMAFLLPLGALLAEWLLLSAGGSGAWG 5 GNELLSEALLMGILLMLAIL-LIPILETSFGLLT LGHGRLLIAVAVATTGGVIA GRQRSRGQLLQLAVLLPLGALVSQWVLLQLQPFTGWR 8 LDELSTDALLLGLLLMLSLL-MIPMLEGSFGLLT GGLPLFIFYMIGSLMGGLSL RTCRRRFDVLRSGLAIGLVQIAVIPAVELLNGNTPGI 1 WVYSMSMGLMSGLLAGLFALALIPLMESLFNITT NNSWFLSINLLCSWRILVSL HRVSRLSSVFWACMKLGGVAMGSLLMFRIFTNTISRE 1 LYADGIESFVYSLITAISVVALIPVFEASFGAST YDIFLLLPFISTTFVAAVTL SKANRRLDVVKSSAFTSLALMGTSLFMKFGLKIEY-TPYDLVAAILNPIFSGILVLGILPYVEYTSRLYS LNYSVGIYVLLSSLSVSIFL REKNRRTMILQAGILVSILNVVVLAALLLLRNGNFSP 2 IGTQLLMASLSGIISSVLAMGILPYLESGLGIVS .s.......h.s..............p........sh.ls.................................h.uh...h......shhE......o

476 486 486 486 490 445 453 445 475 446 521 540 500 556 466 479 517 561 513 598 639 461 455 597 455 213 476

Figure sequence alignment of the 7TM domains of the 7TMR-HD family Multiple6 Multiple sequence alignment of the 7TM domains of the 7TMR-HD family.Multiple sequence alignment the 7TM domains of the 7TMR-HD family was constructed was constructed as detailed in the legend to Figure 1. The 95% consensus follows the same convention as in Figure 1 and 2 and also shows the following classes alcohol (o: ST, Blue), the tiny subclass of small (u; GAS, Green shading) and an 'E' shows the completely conserved amino acid in that group. The species abbreviations are as shown in Table 1.

membrane-spanning domains with RPS-BLAST, suggests that the 7TM domains of the 7TMR-HDs are distant relatives of other eukaryotic and bacterial 7M receptors (evalues ~.01.07). However, the 7TMR-HDs possess several distinctive features in their 7TM domain that clearly demarcate them from all other membrane proteins. These include, positively charged patches in the intracellular loops between helix 12 and helix 56, a glycine in helix 7, and conserved glutamate and alcoholic residues in the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail (Figure 6).

In terms of domain architecture, the 7TMR-HDs are most similar to the 7TMR-DISMs in possessing a large N-terminal extracellular domain and an intracellular signaling domain. This architectural pattern suggests that the extracellular domain (7TMR-HDED, for 7TMR-HD Extracellular Domain) is most likely to function as a sensor domain that transmits the signal via the 7TM domain to the intracellular catalytic domain. Sequence profile searches with the extracellular domain did not establish any relationship with previously known globular domains. A multiple

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Secondary structure YQFF_Bsub_16079587 lin1503_Linn_16800571 lmo1466_Lmon_16803506 Efae2969_Efae_22993455 Desu2389_Dhaf_23113918 CAC1292_Cace_15894574 CTC02023_Ctet_28204087 CPE2019_Cper_18311001 Chte1004_Cthe_23020923 TTE0971_Tten_20807451 Gmet0579_Gmet_23053661 LA1683_Lint_24214383 Ddes1875_Ddes_23474958 TP0651_Tpal_15639638 FNV0454_Fnuc_27886299 Chlo0060_Caur_22969909 slr0104_Ssp_16331836 Npun2210_Npun_23125890 alr2784_Ana_17230276 Npun0472_Npun_23124089 Pmit0951_Pmar_23131657 Synwh0656_Syn_23133329 Mmc12334_Msp_23000675 yqfF_Cpne_15617972 BA_4976_Bant_21402351 consensus/95% Secondary structure YQFF_Bsub_16079587 lin1503_Linn_16800571 lmo1466_Lmon_16803506 Efae2969_Efae_22993455 Desu2389_Dhaf_23113918 CAC1292_Cace_15894574 CTC02023_Ctet_28204087 CPE2019_Cper_18311001 Chte1004_Cthe_23020923 TTE0971_Tten_20807451 Gmet0579_Gmet_23053661 LA1683_Lint_24214383 Ddes1875_Ddes_23474958 TP0651_Tpal_15639638 FNV0454_Fnuc_27886299 Chlo0060_Caur_22969909 slr0104_Ssp_16331836 Npun2210_Npun_23125890 alr2784_Ana_17230276 Npun0472_Npun_23124089 Pmit0951_Pmar_23131657 Synwh0656_Syn_23133329 Mmc12334_Msp_23000675 yqfF_Cpne_15617972 BA_4976_Bant_21402351 consensus/95%

51 46 46 44 64 40 44 43 50 44 67 65 53 47 68 58 78 23 49 122 60 50 76 51 47

........EEE......HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH......EE...HHHHHHHHH.HHHHHHHHHHHHH.......................................HHHHHHHHHH LDLFSVSDKTIYAPAT--VEDQKATEEKKQAAEDA-VEDQYTLKKEYTDNRIDL-VSSIFDSISEVKKS-SEEGSK 14 LTSDVNDSISEDS-IKTLLKADSEDFSFVRDTVITA VKLFQVAEKTIRSPQT--VEDTEKTKEERTKASNA-VEDVYVYNRETGQNRVAL-IQSLFAYVIEVNSE-AEENDK 33 VSEKITSNISDEV-FTTLIEADSKDFNVMEDVITTE VKLFQVAEKTIRSPQT--VEDTEKTKEERTKASDA-VEDVYVYNRETGQNRVAL-IQSLFAYVNEVNAE-AQEKDT 33 VSEKITSNISDEV-FTTLIEAKSKDFNVMEDVVTTE FREGQVAEESIRANKT--IENTEETEQKRKLAAEA-VTPEYTYQKDLADDQNNR-IKQLFELIDKTNDAINKSYDE 32 ENVAFYQKLPNNF-YSTIFEMTETEIHTVRDESLKL LKLGDPSPQLVTAPYEKNIEDLKKYYQDQEAAAEA-VKPVYTQDEEYLTSISRD-LSTAFTALEEAIAS-DEDKAD 10 FNVLPQEALEGLL-DSSLDLLEEKEQKATEVILVNA LKEGDIAKNDIKATRD--VNDEAATEERRKQAVNS-VGIQYDKNTEIINNIIDN-INNDFTIMNKVKDE-NSDDKT 4 LKSSLKTDLDDSN-LSVILSMNKEDLKDLQQFIIKT LMEGEIANVDIKATRE--VVDDIATKARVKQAIES-VPLQYNKKPEVKNNVLED-LDKLFNKIPSVVDV-NISEKD 4 LREGNNIKLSDED-YMEFLKLDKDNLDKLKVVLVKT LKVGDIPKSDIKAHRE--IIDESATEARKKEAEEK-VDKQYSLRTDVQKQSEEK-IKGFFSSVEKVLAQ-DKPEEE 3 LIPRAPFKITDAQ-ANKIASMNEQSTKKLESVCIDG VTLGAISEYDIISPRD--IVNTVKTEENAKKAASQ-VSPVMRDIPNAPIEVINL-VDKLFFLINDAQNT-YKSKIS 25 SIGELGIKLEDAQIDYLISNAGEEDINSLEVVIRSK LKAGDVAPQDIKAPKD--VIDVIATQKKIQEAVNA-VNPKYDYNENIAKESYLK-LADFFNKLREVRKS-SESEEQ 4 FKNITPINLEDKD-IAFLLKIDDSTLIKMETVILSA YKAGDIATTDIRATQDYLLEDRLLTEKKRNEAEAA-VPYVYAFSLDGAGELVGR-VEQALALLQQAATA-EPSQGV 46 IVVDKRSFAGDTA--HGIVLVDARTGESLGKMEYTV YSEGKTAPEKIISAKEIVYEDEDKTKAKKLTAYQS-APFVFDRDFGVLQEQINNFIQEDMENFRSFKPS-AEGRIY 37 SNLVFSSFCILRDLPPDYAALKTSGARVRNQGIKEQ YLAGEVAERDIQADQELRVEDAAATEARRNEVART-QPPLFDLSTATIDVLRAN-VNATLESLRNLSADRHETHRQ 36 TRLASGVVADQRILLQERNGIIVRDLSSGSEVLRED FAVGRVAERNVVSPVFLSLTDELATQRQYARRKKE-IPAVFERRLDLEQAEVRA-YQAFCHALQKARVGMALDTSS 107 QASAGDLPSASVP-LSPDASADEAENAAGDVFSRTQ YMVGDVVKSDIYSPKTIVFRDKIGKDKLIQDMIDR-LDKDYIYSSDAADIYKEE-FDNFHKEIIAIKKGNLKSFDY 1 GFERKTGKAMPQSIIDKLLEEDEEKIDATFSKLETQ LQVGQPSPLSITAPEEVTFTSDVLTAERRTQAANNPDNLVYFNDPKIPIDQRRN-LFTLLETIGRLRNDPTLDEAG 6 NLPSADVQLNTDQ-ARLILALDDEEWSLLRTTILNL LSVGTESPYTIYAPEDGSFVDERTTEEKRKEVRAG-TIPRLQRDNELTAQLKQE-RSQYLDAINQLRYL-AGTFPY 82 AEVKADRQITNNQ--IGALKLDGPTWQTTQQTIIQV LDVDKIAPQTLTAPSSANVEDVKTTEERRREARSG-ASAVWVDDPVINEQIHQN-LQQLFTKGNQIREN-LDNFPF 89 TQSVYAQPETLYD--ATFLNLSDTDWQKTQIQVRQT LKIGTVAPQTIKAPHTASIENKKRTEVERKAASKS-STPVLMVDAKITAQIDQN-LEKMLEQGNEIRIS-AGSFPF 151 LHVDTITTQTIYH-ETVLLELSDYEWTQTQKGIRQG LQVGHSAPQTITAPYTAKIEDQKKTEAERKAVSRS-SLQVLMLDARINEQINEN-LQQLLDDGNEIRAV-AGAFPF 119 LQLETVTPEAVYE-ESFLLDLSDVEWEKTQMGIHQS LNPGLPAPFEARAPRDARVVDSEAQEQRRSQLVQS--TFVQVIDQQETTRLKKR-LERNLAELERVARNSDAGRIG PVNLNAEEQIWLQ---ARSQQERKRWD---MAIRRA LQPGALAPFNAIAPKDALVQDSTALEQRRSTLVAR--SVVQVLDPDQTQALKLR-LERQLSELQQVSESGSAARVG PVNLNADEQVWLE---QRSDQDRFAWD---NVVRQA LEVGEVATRNIKAERDVLVEDRAATELRREKAVAA-VPPVFDWDPHMVASLSSG-ISDRLVELHEAMHTLAKSGQW 112 SATQTRIQRRPIN-LNPLDNPKEFRLTIPDRVVTLE YKAGEISRISLTAPMDF-SLSWSAHKFYKRTAH---ISEAFGKVYHLTLSPGSL-LSKEGNADENTDYWFKKAADF 4 NFVDSSTQKCLKD-LCIYPPLLGKEKKTLEININSN VDMYSIAKKTIHSPIK--IEDKVITERKKQEAAQK-VGDQYTYRSEYKQNRVDI-VNDVFAKVNEVIQEMKAAGPE 17 LPSNLTKELSDEN-LLYFINAEPDQLELAKNAALTS h.....s..ph.u..p..h.s..........h.......................h........p..................................................p. HHHHHHH.........HHHHHHHHHHHHHH.......HHHHHHHHHHHHHH..........HHHHHHHHHHHHH.......EEE..EEEEE......HHHHHHHHHHHHH..... VNTVMSSEIPSD KLSDAKDKVEKELKSNSIP---SKYLGAATEIGRFAIIP--NYVFDPKATEAKRQEASDNVQQV--QIKQGQVLVEENDLIDREVYRKLELTGLLNNSNL VAKTMENKIRDE NLNAAKIRARDDIELSAIS---SYYKNVSKVLVSYAIVP--NEIYNEEQTDERRKEAAQSVVPV--KILQGQVIVQEGQIVDRETYRQLNMLHLLDQKMP VEKSMENKIRDE NLNSVKIRARDDIELSAIP---AYYKNVSKALVSYAIVP--NEVYDEEQTDARRKEAAQSVVPV--KILQGQVIVQEGQIVDRETYRQLKMLHLLDQKMP IDEQMSKQVRES ELEAFKQEAEEQIQYLNVT---PAQQQMIRYLVDQGIVV--NDVLNEKKTEELKQSAREAVQPV--MIFQGEIIVREGNQIDASAMKKLELLGLTNQTTS RGKETGAHTPQDVPALRQKIKQDINEASFP---DEFKAFLNEFVDAKITQP-TLLEDTEATEKLRQNARASVLMESQRYKANQKIVGPGEIVDEKIMQVLVGYGLVENQSP LKDAYNGEIRED 3 DIKKAQSSIAAEFSKEKFS---KDATELGIAISNSYVKP--NMFIDSKKTEEIKKDISKKVENV--VIKKDQIIVKEGEPVTANEISVLEDLGLLSNSNG ISDLYDGVNISD 8 DIKKAREFITEKINDSTLNK--KSLKNLATIMAYSQIKP--NFFYDEEKTEELREEAKKRA-PV--IIKKGQIIVKEGEPVTKAQIDILAKLGLLNSKDS LNKAYEAPIEDG 3 DLKEAKKEYTDFISSSDLS---DSEKAIALNFVN-VVEP--NFFYDKEKTDELIKETLKQVPPV--MIKKNQIVVSEGEPVTAHQLELLGTLGLLSDSAS VNDIMRKDITED NLEERKNELKDAIFNSEIK---YELKNVGLTVSDFVLKP--NRTIDEELTKARRDAAYNDPRNIE-TIKKGQKILSAGDIVTEDKLQVLEDLNLLETTSR EKAIMARQITED ALQSALNDAKSVVESSDIP---VDAKPVAVEILSSVIVP--NMIYNAYETNLAKKEAEEKVQPV--MYKKGQNIVVSGEIVTPEQIEVLKSLGLLKGTDK SPI--------EPAEVQEIVKGMKIGTPGLS--PREIETLKGFVGKGVRP--NLTFSRDLTEQAQERARYSVRPVLLQVKQGEMIVRVGERVTAEQVQKLEMISSAGGDIN ISNLEGAYVIPR 7 DTVNTLKRMAQEKLSRMDSEILPIIQKISLSYI--YSNP--SCSYNSEETLSAKQFAADRAEPINSRILAGEVIVKSGEIITPEIFKKLQIVNTYATRAN LRYVP------DIEKLEKDMESFLRHDLNIP--LRMRRAVTDMLFPLLAP--TLTLNREATTRRTQEVRNAVSPVYYRLQKGEIIVRQGEKVTEDMQLKLQALVSQKQEHL AI---------ETLIRSDQLAARVHALASDFGLTSQAALLFSSLGPFLRP--NIVFDPIQSERHVRNALARLRPVTLSIHPNEIIVRRGFIVSATDYARLQALAHSKLSVD LENAYK-------AGIYKEKNSIRINEPAKTDIEALEPFEREILNNFLIP--NYIYDEAKTKNTINEKVSQIHDQYIEIKAGTLIAKTGEILTDRKIDILDRLGIYNYKMS YDRAIERYDYAI 3 ALSQLRDRWLSFWLATTSLD--TAQRELAQQITSAFLRV--NRTLDNTATEERRAKAMAQVEPVEVKVLAGEMIIRAGEIVTPAHIEKLQATGAMPRPLG HDRILTQGLPAG ITAPLLGETVQLHLRNILP---PQAHQVAENSLNNLLKDKYNLTVDKEATKNLAEKAVLAMENVKVSAEKNSVIVRAGEVITQEQFVLLDGYGLSQRQVN LDRMLAQGIYPG LSKTNLNSAIGMQVSVSVP---ETAQPLARRLLSDAIAP--NLIKDIEQTKLIAEQAAEAVEPAIVSIQKGEVTVKAGAKITQADFVLLDHFHLSQRGID AERILAQGIPAG LPQSVLQNAVTLQVQAFVP---KNAESLATKLLLAVLEP--NLKKDEEQTRKYAQKAASVIEPVMVEVKRGAIIVNKGKEITEWDFEVLDHYQLISRENN AERILTQGIPQG LPKNILQDAVSLQLQSFVP---ESAQPLAKNLLLAVLKP--NLQKDEEETRENAQKAAAGVPPVMVKVRRGEVIVKKGEQVTAWNVEVLEYYRLVRREVK SERMLSQGLNNLALEQLQEAAAIQLADLGEQN-GPARSLSSKLLASTYQGSSNLRTDPALSQRLIEELITKQDIPIIEVRRGDLITSKGEPISPRAYAVLNHFGLVSRGPE ANRMLSQGLVST LAVDQLREAAGLQLQGDAIDN-PAARSLAGKLLVSSLQGSSNLRTDPNLSKQLIEEQLTKQGIPTIDVRKGDLITRKGEPISPQAYDVLDFFGKVKREPQ -----------QLTVLLRDSARRQMGDLNP----DLRLWVVDQVLEYLHP--NLTYNSAETRLRQIQAEEDVDQVYLRVRRGQMVVLEGEVVSENTQLKLSALNKGDMSDA KGNVIAQ----------CFCHLKIFLIQENCP-QPCFDAIMDILKIANFE--VAV-DKEMSGCVKGELLGKRCIE--KITKGTPILEKYQRIDDRDAKILKQLRAQLLSVH VSVIMGGNIKMS EEMAAKERFVNEMKTLNVN---SGLKEAVNALGSYAITA--NYFYDPAVTKEKKKAEEDLVPPV--YILQGQVIVREGETISSDMYNQLKLVGLLEKGNS ..........................................h..........s..s...s...o.................h..sp.l...s..ls......L...........

275 289 289 287 288 257 266 258 287 258 318 326 299 362 280 284 375 325 414 455 272 263 390 255 275

Figure sequence alignment of the 7TMR-HDEDs Multiple7 Multiple sequence alignment of the 7TMR-HDEDs.Multiple sequence alignment was constructed as detailed in the legend to Figure 1. The species abbreviations are as shown in Table 1.

alignment of the 7TMR-HDEDs shows that it is highly enriched in polar residues and is predicted to assume a predominantly -helical fold with several amphipathic helical hairpins (Figure 7). To gain further insight into the functions of the 7TMRHDs we used the contextual information available in the form of their gene neighborhoods (Figure 8A). In Grampositive bacteria, Fusobacterium, Treponema, Leptospira, Geobacter and Thermotoga, the 7TMR-HD gene is always associated with the conserved PhoH-YbeY-diacylglycerol kinase gene neighborhood, and is specifically located adjacent to the YbeY and PhoH genes. The PhoH-YbeYdiacylglycerol kinase gene neighborhood [58] is defined

by several conserved genes (Figure 8A), which often occur adjacent to each other or the gene for the well-studied bacterial membrane-associated enzyme diacylglycerol kinase (DgkA) [59,60]. The PhoH gene encodes a member of the helicase-like superclass of the P-loop NTPase fold, and has been linked to the response to phosphate starvation in E. coli [58]. The third major member of this neighborhood encodes a highly conserved, uncharacterized protein typified by E. coli YbeY. An alignment of the YbeY orthologs (unpublished data VA & LA) indicates that it possesses 3 conserved histidines that are arranged in a manner very similar to the Zincin-like metallopeptidases [61,62]. The occurrence of YbeY next to the DgkA gene, and the fusions of the YbeY protein with the DgkA protein, suggest a func-

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tion for it in the same pathway as DgkA, namely lipidhead-group metabolism. This function is also supported by the fusion of the YbeY protein to the acyl carrier protein synthase domain in Plasmodium. These observations, taken together with the predicted metalloprotease-like active site of the YbeY proteins, suggest that YbeY is most likely to function as an endogenous lecithinase (phospholipase C) in lipid metabolism to generate diacylglycerol, the substrate for DgkA, from phosphatidylcholine. This would imply that the 7TMR-HDs, which show a strong association with the PhoH-YbeY-diacylglycerol kinase gene neighborhood, are likely to function as a regulator of this pathway of lipid metabolism. It is possible that the highly polar 7TMR-HDED may sense particular changes to ion concentrations, and regulate the YbeY-DgkA-dependent lipid metabolism pathway in order to regulate membrane properties. The nature of the intracellular signal transmitted by the HD hydrolase domain of the 7TMR-HDs is unclear. This HD domain is very distinct from the HD-GYP variety, which acts as a cyclic diaguanylate phosphodiesterase. Contextual analysis also provides no evidence for any association with GGDEF proteins, thus ruling out a role in cDGMP signaling [39]. Likewise, contextual information does not provide any evidence for association with cyclic NMP signaling even though HD domains are known to act as phosphodiesterases in this signaling pathway. These observations imply that the HD hydrolase domain of the 7TMR-HDs may have a distinct function of its own. One possibility is suggested by the contextual association of the 7TMR-HD genes with the genes for the P-loop protein PhoH (Figure 8A). These two proteins could potentially constitute a kinase-phosphoesterase couple that regulates YbeY-DgkA-dependent lipid metabolism. In Chlamydia pneumoniae 7TMR-HD gene occurs in the neighborhood of genes for several uncharacterized membrane proteins with no detectable homologs in other bacterial lineages. Hence, it is likely that in C. pneumoniae the 7TMR-HD has acquired a distinct function, which may be related to the expression of these pathogen-specific surface proteins.
Other bacterial receptors with evolutionarily mobile membrane-associated sensory domains Most of the above-identified bacterial 7TMRs contain additional N-terminal domains that are likely to play a crucial role in recognition of an extracellular signal. We were also interested in identifying novel families of membrane-associated receptors that do not contain any extracellular N-terminal domains, but primarily utilize their multi-TM domains for sensory purposes. While there are numerous prokaryotic signaling proteins with TM domains, a widely utilized sensory TM domain is likely to exhibit the following characteristics: 1) distinctive sequence or structural features that clearly distinguish

them from generic multi-TM proteins and previously characterized transporters. 2) Evolutionary mobility, which means that the same conserved multi-TM domain could be associated with different types of intracellular signaling domains. These criteria are supported by the precedence offered by the domain architectures of previously identified membrane-associated bacterial receptors, such as those of the MHYT family [63]. Analysis of the clusters of conserved Multi-TM domains recovered in our receptor search procedure identified two widespread groups of conserved membrane-associated domains that were combined in different proteins with different types of intracellular signaling domains, but lacked any other extracellular domains. The first group of these domains is typified by the Bacillus proteins, LytS and YhcK, which share a conserved membrane-spanning domain with 5 TM helices (Figure 8B and 9). In LytS-type proteins the 5TM domains are combined with C-terminal intracellular GAF and histidine kinase domains, while in the YhcK-type proteins the 5TM domain is combined with intracellular GGDEF (diguanylate cyclase catalytic) domains. Occasionally, some members of the latter group, such as SO1500 from Shewanella, are also combined with additional intracellular EAL (cyclic diguanylate phosphodiesterase) and PAS domains (Figure 8B). We named this family of conserved 5TM domains the 5TMR-LYT family (for 5 transmembrane receptors of the LytS-YhcK type). 5TMR-LYTs are widely distributed in bacteria, with multiple members in Gram-positive bacteria, various proteobacteria, Fusobacteria, and Deinococcus (Table 1). The presence of a strongly predicted signal peptide in all members of this family suggests that it adopts a topology analogous to the classic 7TMRs: the N-terminus of the first helix is extracellular (or periplasmic), while the C-terminal tail with the fused signaling domain is intracellular (Figure 9). The membranespanning domain of the 5TMR-LYT family is distinguished from other membrane spanning domains by the presence of certain distinctive sequence features. These include the presence of a characteristic NXR motif in the loop between helix-1 and 2, multiple small residues, like glycine and proline, in the middle of helix-2, and a small residue (typically glycine) in the midst of the 5th helix. These small residues in the middle of the TM helices are likely to distort them, and this conformation may be critical to accommodate a ligand, or provide flexibility for transmission of a signal. In several bacterial lineages, such as the Gram-positive bacteria and Vibrionaceae, the 5TMR-LYTs of the LytS variety is encoded by a gene that occurs in the same operon as a gene for a LytR type transcription factor (Figure 8B). This suggests that they transmit a signal via a LytR protein to regulate transcription. In Gram-positive bacte-

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apolipoprotein N-acyltransferase lnT YbeX YbeY phoH YqfE

phoH YbeZ

LytR REC HTH 7TM of 7TM-HD 5TM of 5TMR-LYT 8TM of 8TMR-UT

lytT

lytS

Diacyl Glycerol Kinase DgkA

YbeY-like YqfG

YqfF

GAF HIS Kin lytS_Bsub [Bant, Ctet, Ddes, Ec 2, Fnuc 2, Gmet, Oihe, Ooen, Rrub, Saga 2, Saur, Sepi, Sone, Styp, Tten, Vcho, Ypes] EAL GGDEF yhcK_Bsub [Bant, Drad 2, Cace, Linn, Rsph, Saur]

HD YqfF_Bsub [Bant, Cace, Caur, Cper, Cpne, Ctet, Cthe, Ddes, Dhaf, Efae, Fnuc, Gmet, Linn, Lint, Lmon, Msp, Npun 2,Nsp, Pmar, Ssp 2,Tery, Tpal, Tten]
7TMR-HDED

Transmembrane region Signal Peptide

PAS PAS PAS

GGDEF

EAL

HD

Tm1508_Tma

SO1500_Sone

1..3 PAS

PAS PAS PAS

GGDEF

EAL
HAMP

yegE_Ec [Paer, Cglu (1Pas)]


GGDEF

XCC3131_Xcam
HIS Kin PA1180 PA1181

HD-GYP Ddes1160_Ddes EAL

yneF_Ec [Bfun] XCC1760_Xcam

PAS PAS PAS Reut1540_Rmet


HIS Kin

PA1179

GGDEF yfgF_Ec (Styp 2) HIS Kin uhpB_Ec (Ec 2, Vcho, Vpar)

PAS RSc0982_Rsol

Rsph4145_Rsph
HIS Kin REC

CC2632_Ccre [Esv] PAS


HIS Kin REC

uphA

uphB

73 70

91
REC HTH

all3275_Nsp

HD-GYP slr1798 sll1660


0.1.4 PAS 0..1 HisKin

sll1708

slr1805

CHASE mlr0982 mll0983 mll0984

PAS PAS PAS PAS

HIS Kin

Mdeg3101_Mdeg [ Sone,Caur]
GGDEF
3 PAS, 0 REC

REC HTH
SMb20868

HTH LysR
SMb20869 SMb20870
5 PAS, 0 REC

GAF

HIS Kin
0..1 REC

REC

PAS

GGDEF

Mdeg1234_Mdeg [Ssp]
0..5 PAS

slr1805_Ssp

PAS PAS PAS

HIS Kin

REC

sll1673
0 PAS, 1 REC

sll1672

Mmc11833_Msp [Smel. Mlot, Lint, Mxan,Bjap, Ssp]

Figure 8 the 8TMR-UT Gene neighborhoods of 7TMR-HD, 5TMR-LYTs and the Phylogenetic tree, domain architectures and gene neighborhoods of Gene neighborhoods of 7TMR-HD, 5TMR-LYTs and the Phylogenetic tree, domain architectures and gene neighborhoods of the 8TMR-UT.A) The domain architectures found in 7TMR-HD proteins and the PhoH-YbeY gene neighborhoods are shown. The upper panel shows the PhoH-YbeY neighborhood in proteobacteria (E. coli DgkA-YqfG-YqfFYqfE operon), while the lower one shows the neighborhood typical of bacteria with the 7TMR-HD proteins. The organisms, possessing a particular domain architecture, are indicated by abbreviations in brackets). YbeY or its ortholog YqfG is the predicted lecithinase with a metal binding active site. YbeX is a Cystathionine beta-synthase domain (CBS) containing protein.B) The domain architectures found in 5TMR-LYT containing proteins and the conserved operon LytT-LytS found in Bacillus and gram-positive bacterial genomes are shown. C) Phylogenetic relationships of the 8TMR-UT domain containing proteins along with their domain architectures are shown. The RELL bootstrap values for the major branches are shown at their base. The thickness of a given branch is approximately proportional to the number of proteins contained within it. Domain architectures of the proteins in each branch of the tree are shown in boxes pointed to by the black arrows. The gene neighborhood data of some of the genes encoding 7TMR-DISM containing proteins are shown. The red arrow points to the architecture of protein encoded by a particular gene in a depicted neighborhood. Domain abbreviations are as shown in Figure 2 and HD, hydrolase of the HD superfamily; HD-GYP cyclic diaguanylate phosphodiesterases of the HD-GYP variety; GAF domain found in cGMPspecific phosphodiesterases, Adenylyl cyclases and Escherichia coli FhlA. Species abbreviations are as shown in Table 1

ria, LytS and LytR affect the composition of the cell wall by regulating murein hydrolases, and disruption of the LytS gene results in increased autolysis [64,65]. This sug-

gests that the membrane-spanning domain of the 5TMRLYT family may act as a receptor for derivatives of murein. Some of the 5TMR-LYTs of the YchK variety occur in gene

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Secondary structure

lytS_Bsub_1770001 CTC01978_Ctet_28204044 FNV0759_Fnuc_27886700 BA_0550_Bant_21397925 Ddes2593_Ddes_23475675 yehU_Ec_26248504 ypdA_Ec_26109167 FN0220_Fnuc_19703565 Gmet2026_Gmet_23055156 OB1642_Oihe_22777325 Ooen1099_Ooen_23037886 Rrub1268_Rrub_22966664 yehU_Styp_16420695 SO2822_Sone_24374352 lytS_Saur_21203400 SE2011_Sepi_27316477 gbs1052_Saga_23095505 gbs0180_Saga_25010255 TTE0871_Tten_20515869 C82292_Vcho_11278601 y3885_Ypes_22127756 yhcK_Bsub_7474584 SO1500_Sone_24347254 Rsph2038_Rsph_22958458 SAV0746_Saur_15923736 CAC3544_Cace_15026638 BA_0523_Bant_21397898 lin2277_Linn_16801341 DRA0181_Drad_15807849 DR1090_Drad_6458824 consensus/95%
Secondary structure

37 37 39 37 39 44 41 22 37 37 37 41 39 36 37 37 36 34 38 36 41 26 18 31 30 29 33 32 36 32

...EEEEEEE||||||||||...... ....................|||||||||||||||||.....||||||||||||||||||||| GYKGKAILISIFSLFSIISNYTGIEI 16 SGSIANTRILGVEIGGLLGGPFVGAGIGILAGLHRFS--LGGSTALSCAVSSILAGVLAGLIG KEFNKLALIVFFSLLSILGTYTGVNI 17 PHAIANTRPIGAITAGYLGGPLVGICVGLIAGLQRYY--VGGFTALACAVATIMGGICGGLAR TKKDIIALSFFFSLLSISGTYIGLNF NGAILNTRNVGVIAGGILGGPYVAIITGLVAGIHRAFVNLGRETAIPCAIATITGGFLTAYVH GYVDKLKLICIFSVFTIVSNYTGIEI 16 SSTIANTRIMGVGISGLLGGPIVGIGVGSIAGIHRYM--LGGTTALSCAISSILAGVITGYIG SPLQKSFCILFFGLFGILGTYSGNAI FESVANLRAMAVITAGLFGGPAVGLGAGLMAGLHRNIIDPGGFSALPCGLATVLEGLFAGLVA RLPHKFLCYIVFSIFCIMGTWFGLHI DDSIANTRAIGAVMGGLLGGPVVGGLVGLTGGLHRYS--MGGMTALSCMISTIVEGLLGGLVH SPKELLAVTAIFSLFALFSTWSGVPV EGSLVNVRIIAVMSGGILFGPWVGIITGVIAGIHRYLIDIGGVTAIPCFITSILAGCISGWIN TKKDIVALSFFFSLLSISGTYIGLNF NGAILNTRNVGVIAGGILGGPYVSIITGLVAGIHRAFVNLGRETAIPCAISTIIGGFLTAYVH SRYEKLTLSVLFGFIGIAGTYMGVPI QNAIANSRVVGVALGGILGGPLVGFGAGLIAGGHRFLIDVGGFTATACGVATIAEGVAGGLIY TLKTVIYHSLIFGLISIIGAHVGVVM 16 NEVLIGFSIVVVMIAGLLGGPFLGLGTGMVAGLYIIF--LGGGGWVANSLINPLAGLLTGWAG QISTKFYLILIFAGFALFSNLTGVEI 17 SDSIANTRTLVITVAGLVGGPVVGTITGLIAGVHRVF--QGNGADSFYIFSSIIIGWISGMIG RLPHKAACYAIFSLFCIMGTYFGLRI DDSIANTRAIGAVLGGMLGGPSVGLAVGLTGGLHRYS--MGGFTALACAISTTAEGLIGGLVH RLPHKLLCYVTFSIFCIMGTYFGLHI EDSIANTRAIGAVMGGLLGGPVVGGLVGLTGGLHRYS--MGGMTALSCMISTIVEGLLGGLVH RLPHKIFIYLVFSSFCIMATYFGEQT SGAIANTRAMGAVLGGLLGGPVTGFLVGLTGGLHRYS--MGGFTDLACAISTTLEGLSAGMIS TWKARWQLCIIFSLFALMSNLTGIVI 16 DVSLANTRVLTIGVAGLVGGPFVGLFVGVISGIFRVY--MGGADAQVYLISSIFIGIIAGYFG KWRSKFQLIIIFGIFSMISNFTGIEI 16 DASMANTRVLTIGVSGLIGGPWVAIIVGIISGLCRLY--IGGADAYTYLISSIVIAIISGYFG LKKHQYILLILFSLFAIISNFTGVEI 16 QSSVANTRVLTIGVSGLIGGPIVGIIVGLLSVFVRYL--QGGLAPHIYVISSLLIGLCSGLSG SKRETVVLVIIFGLFVIISNITGIEI 17 SDSLANTRTLVITTASLVGGPLVGSIVGFIGGVHRFF--QGSFSGSFYIVSSVLVGIVSGKIG TKKDLLITMLIFGLIGIAGTYLGVPI NDAIANSRVVGPMVAGLIGGPLVGLGAGLIAGVHRFF--LGGFTAISCGISTIIEGFAGGLIR RFDHKISVYVLFSLFCIMGTYFGLQI NDAIANTRAIGAVMGGLFGGPVIGFAVGLTGGLHRYT--LGGFTDLACAISTTAEGLIGGLLH RLPHKLVCYLTFSMFCIMGTYFGLNI DDSIANTRAIGAVLGGMLGGPSVGFLVGLTGGLHRYS--MGGMTATACMLSTIAEGLLGGLLH RLVHKKDS-ISFQAVKGLACGLLGVI 8 QHSIIDLRNIPIMIAALYGGWVSTATALAMITAGRLL--ITMNTSALYSVIIICIAAIPSLIV PKKHQRQYFLLWRLGIGVLIGGIGVA 9 PGIIFDTRSVLLCVSGLFFGGLPTAIAVVITALYRLS--IGGV-AMWVGVGVIITSGLIGVIW RRLRHVLLGLAFGFGASVQMMQSIAV 1 PGVIVDSRALFIGFAGAFLGPLGATVALMVSLLLRISL-VSTAMPALAAGSMAASALMGSLWP MVFSKAYVTVLMTIVSLLLSVYPIPY 1 EDYLIHLTFVPLLFLGRFTNMVYTLSATVIVAIVEIV--VFNNSIMYGVTLIVIAAVTSAIGP DKVRTIWGKVIVGVFCGFAGILLLMY 6 TDTLIDLRAYAVMIASYTAGTLPTIISGIMIMLYRVF--HFGVSVSSIVAAFRILSYIIFFYI SFWQKCVVGILTGILSVLLMYFGVHI ENIMLDLRYLAVILAIIIGGPIASSITVTIILITRLF--LTEYSLASELACYTIVLIGIGVTF SINRKMVIGVWAGLLGFALMIFGIPI 1 NNVIVDLRHIPIIMVGFYGGPIPAIVSAVIITTSRFL---ISVNSA-AVMAGVIMMLIGIITA DSRLQVPRFLLVSLMCVPLMFFPAQV 1 PGVFVDLRAVPIAFLTLRLGWGWGLVGAVPLLVYRYL--LGGVGWPPAMVSAIGVVLVAGLFH TAIHVPR-LLLLAVMAVVLMLYPAEV 1 PGVIIDMRAVPIAYLALRKGVWAGLLALIPLLLYRFH--LGGVGTWSAVFSAVGVVLLGGLLH .........h.h.............h.......hhs.p.h.h...sh..G...s..s.......ch....................h...h.. |...... ....||||||||||||||||...........||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||..... RYFTKRY 3 TPRIAALVGIGMESLQMIIILLMAKPFSDAWELVSMIGIPMILINGTGSFIFLSIIQAIIRKEEQA KHSKSKT 1 NPKLAFITTIIAEILEMIIILILSKPFNHALQLEKIFALPMIIINSVGVFVFVYITKD--ALEQYN RFIKSKD KIFFGFFLACVVENLSMGLILIILKDKILAQNIVANFYVPMVFMNSIGSSVLILLVEDIIQKSELI YIFKKYN 3 TPKFSAVLSVFIVSLEMIMILLIVEDG---ISIVKTIAIPMILVNSFGSFILLSMIQAILRQEENA WRVKESM DWRLAAMLGLVGETVHMILVLALSRPFPQAVELVKVIGMPMIVVNSLGAALFVQIINLVSKGRERR SILIRRG 6 NPITAGAVTFVAEMVQMLIILAIARPYEDAVRLVSNIAAPMMVTNTVGAALFMRILLDKRAMFEKY LKIPKAQ RWRVGILGGMLCETLTMILVIVWAPTTALGIDIVSKIGIPMIL-GSVCIG-FIVLLVQSVEGEKEA RFIKNKD RIFFGFFLACTIENLSMGLILILLIDKILAQNIVTSFYIPMVLMNSIGASVLILIVEDIIQKSEIV HRLKRGQ 1 DPAVAFITGVAVETLQMVILLVMAKPFTAAVSLVSVIGFPMILVNSIGLALFVELVSSVFREKERF QFFSDDR 2 SPNKALFIGIFPPVLHMGLLLIMLPDQQIGVQIVNTIGIPLVVTNSIALTIFTMMIRLALNETEQE HSYSKRR 3 TAGVAAITGLGMEFIQMLFILVFSVSG---LQLVKLIFLPMMILNSFGTWVFMSIISAYLHQEEQL RYLVSRG 6 QPLVVGLVTLFAEVCQMLIIILVARPAVNAVHLVETIALPMLVANSVGAAMFMTILLDRRTMFETQ SVLIRRG 6 SPLTAGAITCIAELVQMLIILLIARPFDDALHLVSNIAAPMMVTNTVGAALFMRILLDKRAMFEKY FYLRRAG 6 NPLLVCLVTFYAEIMQMSLILLIACPFDAAWELVRQIAPPMLLVNSIGAALFMSMIRDQKTMFDKL LQAQRRK 3 SIAKSAMIGIVMEMIQMLSILTFSHDKAYAVDLISLIALPMIIVNSVGTAIFMSIIISTLKQEEQM HQTIKQN 3 SIKKGAIIGAITEIIQMGCILLFTNNLHHAITLVSFIALPMIIINSLGTAIFLTIILSTIKQEEQM NYLRKNY 3 RVLDAMVVGFGMEILQMICILIFSVDFNQALRLVSFISMPMILSNTLGLGIFISIISSTQKLEEHA DKLKENH 3 STSQVILISIIAESIQMLFVGIFTG-----WELVKMIVIPMMILNSLGSTLFLAILKTYLSNESQL KYYKGEY 2 WEYAFMAGFIGEGVQMLIILATAKPFHQAVELVKIIGIPMMVVNATGIGIFMIMIKSIFDEKEQI TYLLRKG 6 SPSIVFAVTLFAEIVQMLIILVVAKPFEQSYALVSTIAAPMIIANSVGAALFMSILLDRKTIFEEY LYLTRKN 6 QPLVVAGITLVAEVLQMMIILAVARPFNEAVELVENIALPMMITNTIGAAMFMRILLDRRAIFEKY SRRKKVQ 1 KHAFYLLIITNSLISFSFYFLID--------LHSYELHLYFWIISIAGGMLSLYIIDHETNAHLLF RHYRKAH 3 ISGTEVISFAFLVHLVMLSWFFLLPGQHVV-PVLSKITLPILLIYPLATWLLSRLLSRRFELERDE VLRRRLG 1 GHFTGLVLLAVMISLPLVLLAWLPVGRT---DSLEVLAAILVLLNLTGALVFGTFLQRERAAAQRE FL-----KQNDVLSLLILNVVTIIILFGVALVSP---IYTLSEVIILIPISLIITLASAITFVDIWHFFSLV VDRKIKS 2 KRWFYKMVFTLLMINVTDYYMLRKV------DGIIDVLVQYSIIILVSGILQYMLLDYVKTSNKLY IWRMKVS 2 TRWIWFNVYSLFILAVPLSMLFKD-------MSIVALYLVCSSVAAYITFISANYV---LQSNELF LFSKRLE 2 NIWGVFILNIIACGFVVINLHLILAKEP---DFWVNMFTFVSIALVIG-AVSAGLMKNMIKSKQLF GRLGLFR 2 WPWERLLLPLLLIFLPNGLLLPIIRHDL---SLYLTVWLPLLVMCFLGALITLGILRSRFRLLSLV RSVDLSA 2 LDWRSLWWRLLLVFMPNGILIPVLRGDP---AALLTVYLPLLVVTYAGFLVSLGIQRNRYRLLSLI .............................h................h...h.........h...h........p..

lytS_Bsub_1770001 CTC01978_Ctet_28204044 FNV0759_Fnuc_27886700 BA_0550_Bant_21397925 Ddes2593_Ddes_23475675 yehU_Ec_26248504 ypdA_Ec_26109167 FN0220_Fnuc_19703565 Gmet2026_Gmet_23055156 OB1642_Oihe_22777325 Ooen1099_Ooen_23037886 Rrub1268_Rrub_22966664 yehU_Styp_16420695 SO2822_Sone_24374352 lytS_Saur_21203400 SE2011_Sepi_27316477 gbs1052_Saga_23095505 gbs0180_Saga_25010255 TTE0871_Tten_20515869 C82292_Vcho_11278601 y3885_Ypes_22127756 yhcK_Bsub_7474584 SO1500_Sone_24347254 Rsph2038_Rsph_22958458 SAV0746_Saur_15923736 CAC3544_Cace_15026638 BA_0523_Bant_21397898 lin2277_Linn_16801341 DRA0181_Drad_15807849 DR1090_Drad_6458824 consensus/95%

215\LytS 212 | 200 | 212 | 200 | 209 | 200 | 183 | 199 | 214 | 213 | 206 | 204 | 201 | 215 | 215 | 214 | 208 | 198 | 201 | 206/ 185\yhck 187 | 190 | 181 | 190 | 184 | 188 | 195 | 190/

Figure sequence alignment of the 5TM domains of the 5TMR-LYT family Multiple9 Multiple sequence alignment of the 5TM domains of the 5TMR-LYT family.Multiple sequence alignment the 5TM domains of the 5TMR-LYT family was constructed as detailed in the legend to Figure 1. The two subgroups 1) LytS and 2) YhcK are shown on the right. The species abbreviations are as shown in Table 1.

neighborhoods containing genes encoding various signaling proteins with GAF [25], histidine kinase and receiver modules. Hence, the YchK-like proteins could be part of a distinct signaling complex that could relay signals, which may be dependent on cell wall composition.

A second family of evolutionarily mobile TM domains that was recovered in our search procedure is typified by the conserved N-terminal TM domain, which is found in the E. coli sugar response histidine kinase UhpB (Figure 8C and 10). In addition to orthologs of the UhpB protein,
Page 15 of 20
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BMC Genomics 2003, 4

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/4/34

8TM Secondary structure uhpB_Ec_15804264 Z0462_Ec_15800093 VCA0683_Vcho_15601440 VPA0965_Vpar_28900820 RSc0982_Rsol_17545701 yfeA_Styp_16765736 STM2503_Styp_16765823 yfgF_Ec_26248863 XCC3131_Xcam_21232561 Ddes1160_Ddes_23474249 PA1181_Paer_15596378 yegE_Ec_16130007 Cgl1038_Cglu_19552261 yneF_Ec_26247800 Bcep7208_Bfun_22989260 all3275_Ana_17230767 CC2632_Ccre_16126867 ORF186_ESV_13242656 Rsph4145_Rsph_22960563 Reut1540_Rmet_22976760 XCC1760_Xcam_21231210 SMb20868_Smel_16264910 mll0984_Mlot_13471100 LA0111_Lint_24212811 Mmc11833_Msp_23000166 AAO22901_Mxan_27804864 bll7016_Bjap_27382127 sll1672_Ssp_16329398 slr1805_Ssp_16330325 Mdeg1234_Mdeg_23027413 slr1798_Ssp_16329416 SO4656.2_Sone_28275295 Mdeg2742_Mdeg_23028963 Mdeg3101_Mdeg_23029342 Chlo2117_Caur_22972227 consensus/90% Secondary structure uhpB_Ec_15804264 Z0462_Ec_15800093 VCA0683_Vcho_15601440 VPA0965_Vpar_28900820 RSc0982_Rsol_17545701 yfeA_Styp_16765736 STM2503_Styp_16765823 yfgF_Ec_26248863 XCC3131_Xcam_21232561 Ddes1160_Ddes_23474249 PA1181_Paer_15596378 yegE_Ec_16130007 Cgl1038_Cglu_19552261 yneF_Ec_26247800 Bcep7208_Bfun_22989260 all3275_Ana_17230767 CC2632_Ccre_16126867 ORF186_ESV_13242656 Rsph4145_Rsph_22960563 Reut1540_Rmet_22976760 XCC1760_Xcam_21231210 SMb20868_Smel_16264910 mll0984_Mlot_13471100 LA0111_Lint_24212811 Mmc11833_Msp_23000166 AAO22901_Mxan_27804864 bll7016_Bjap_27382127 sll1672_Ssp_16329398 slr1805_Ssp_16330325 Mdeg1234_Mdeg_23027413 slr1798_Ssp_16329416 SO4656.2_Sone_28275295 Mdeg2742_Mdeg_23028963 Mdeg3101_Mdeg_23029342 Chlo2117_Caur_22972227 consensus/90%

8 7 3 4 6 10 11 11 1 40 6 11 26 12 38 9 10 1 88 15 8 6 63 10 17 18 52 15 18 25 61 12 1 11 2

........||||||||||||||||||||||..|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||...||||||||||||||||||||||||..................||||||||||||||||||||||||||||....... RLITVIACFFIFSAAWFCLWSISLHLVERPD-MAVLLFPFGLRLGLMLQC-PRGYWPVLLGXEWLLIYWLTQAVGLTHFSLLMIG-SLLTLLPVALISRYRHQ-------RDWRTLLLQGAALTAAALLQSLPWLW---------H HWVILLFIVLAWGTGWLMLWTLSFYLTNNGQ-QAVLFLPQGVYLALVILL-SRRYWPALVLPPLLMMFWLHSE-QLLNGYLMLAT-PVISLFPALLAQNFWHRF -----PLYWQRLTLLLATVTAASLLNTALLSPFMSG------KLFPLIFAFVLYSISQFSLWNVSQYLSHNPL-QAYLLFPTGLRLAVYLLARPTYVWVWLLSDMLLAGVILVLLP-DQSSPLMLLM-PWVVWLAAVIARQHWPKL ------HLYWQKLLLIVALVLLHTILVGITFTLLAKP--LHMG YSVTTICGLFVMACAWFCLWVIAYYFVNDPE-LAILLFPFALRLGIALHT-RTAYWPTIYVSEWALTIALATLLE 1 PQWLTVLIASVASIPVTLIAKKYYYGDQN--------RHLAVMGIVIIITAFINVMAVGF-----------H HRTSPSLAAFLWGALYLLAAVVSHRLNGPIDMTGYIWLSAGITMAAFMLR-PYREWPGLGAAFTVGQLVLCAFEK 1 NPAHALLFVLDEAGSAALAVALVRLTRVPL ----DGLDFVRAMLAAGTLSALLGALPGAAWFAWSQ---DAPF NIKIFLLAFCLTVPAILLSRLISPRATIDSSYIFLAWLPLCVMFSVLFLF-GRRGVAPMVGGMMLTNEWNFHL-PLPQAMVLLFCTQFPVLLVCAIVRWQLGAR 4 IPNQGIWLRVFWLGLMTPFGIKISMHLAGHYLAFPVT-ISTFF RDKWWGLPLILPSILLPVLSSANTYALTSTGNVVLFYLPLAFMLSLMLFF-GWAALPGIVLAIFWRRYPQTGLYE TLSVTMHFIIT-IVLSWGGYRVFSPRRNNV 10 RIFWQVFCSATLFLVIYQFAAFVGMYESKASLMGVM-----PF RDKWWGLPLFLPSLILPIFAHINTFAHISSGEVFLFYLPLALMISMMMFF-SWAALPGIALGIFVRKYAELGFYE TLSLTANFIII-IILCWGGYRVFTPRRNNV 6 LISQRLFWQIVFPATLFLILFQFAAFVGLLASRENLV-GVMPF MEGLKSVTQGLLTATAYCLAFQLSWHCS----LDQWYLPAGLRIAALLLA-PSRLLPWILMGDVAALLMIRVPAI 5 NPTWAYASPWILVPAIALVPIAIRARYGAV ----HRAGASLIPMLLVTAVWGALCTLGTNIMLDGPS--SAIS APVRQRLQLPLAGAIYFVAVLCGLQSGIACGLPPSIHPAAGFGFAMLTLR-GGTMLPVLMLADFCAGMTAL---PPLPALALAAGNTAGIALAWQLMQAKAPQV RIFDLPRHAVLFICAAPLVQSVTAATAGTFSLTLAGIVHHSQA TDDRGLWAGIQAGVLFFLAALACIYLSRQPATIAAIWLPNAILTAALLRA-PLRQWPAILLCSAVANLAANRLYG 1 SLWMSAAFLPANLSEAIFAAMLLRINRVRE DFEFNLHSAVRVLWAGALIPPLLGASVGAVLVSVFG---MGRF ALPHPLLHLVSLGLVSFIFTLFSLELSQFGTQLAPLWFPTSIMMVAFYRH-AGRMWPGIALSCSLGNIAASILLF 1 TSSLNMTWTTINIVEAVVGAVLLRKLLPWY ---NPLQNLADWLRLALGSAIVPPLLGGVLVVLLTP---GDDP SLLVALLRQIVFAFAYLIAVIGSYSLVYGDSLVAIVWPSVGIAVWWAVTC-RSWKNFALICGYVFLVPAIYLHFF 6 GVILAGIAHAIAGPGVALVMAFMENAQLPE 7 FAPFSHIRLPGDVFRLLVAGIVMVAISKLIVILAYALADLPYS FQEGHLLRNSIAIFVLTTLFYFIGAELRLVHELSLFWPLNGVMAGVFARY-VWLNRLHYYAISYVAMLVYDAITT 3 LVSLAINFSNM-MFIVTVALLVARDKRLGK --NKYEPVSALRLFNYCLLAALLCAIVGAIGSVSID---SLDF PLMRRFSQLLASTLAFTVFACFGIVLTRATWGVSSIWPANGLIAGLALDG-TQTRERDIAIAVAAGGLAANLWLL 1 DRSAGLIFSLGNVVEVSAMSMSLRFFRAPL 1 AVPNPQGLYRFLTRAVLLPTLISALVVGVATHIALG----WPA IMRRWLMISLLGLFALVIAHGMALIYRIQPG-VSLWFPPSGVAIALTFWF-GP---CGIILTGLASFLMSPFWGLHGWERLIALVDIIEPLSAWLLYRRLWKGS RTINTLKDATLFTVSAPLVACATLAIIGSVCLVAIGKMPLASL ERRQTALLLALSFAVAAAIVFSENLTRTTLG-VAAFWPANAFLAAGLLTL-TSVRRLVLIAVFVFFHVAVCLQAG 1 GPLKALVFATVDGLEAGAVWAAFRRFWNGA ----PRVRTLRALAQLPAITTPIAAGSALICATVLHFGYGAPF -MLPCVGRILGGFIAQYIGVLVSMEVFVSPGGTIFWWTQTAIAIAAMLHT-SDTHWPERV-GHIASSMLTYIPFR 4 PVPLLLAICASNALGQFFGYVSMKHFYPVL 2 KEVGTLRFLAIFVAFPVIIASIVASIPGSLAFYFLGT--DVEL AGAPLWLVWPLAVAGYVLMGRLGLVTAMPPTGAVVLWPPNAVLLTALLAS-APRHWPVVLLGGVAAEVAVNWHTL PIAWALAFGTVNAAESTLAASLLRRFSDGP VRLDGLAAVVRFVLLAPLAASATAALAGAALIALRFP--EVDY PVPAARWGLLLAAVGYFALATAGIWLGRQPGTGAMLWMGNAFGLGLLLHR-PRQEAPALLASMLAADVLANLLAD 1 TAGVALLLAGANLLEIGGMAMLLRLMSGSG -TLARTGPLATFALTIGVAATLGPAISGVPGAAVLATAYGTQF MAVAKELVRGMLISVCYCLAFLMLWRLS----IDQWYLPVGLRVVTLLFR-PYREWPFLLAGDAAAMLFLRIPLG 5 NPLWSYLSPFVHAPLIAGAIGLLRYQVPHI ------VKSQQWFIPAALVIALWNAICSLVLNSTLGGPQAYPV PYRPHPRHLALFIVAYVLGCGFAHALAIVPGTGISFWAPSGLFIATLALV-QRQSWPWWLLAGCFAEVLSNFLWF 2 PFPAAMLIYVGNALEAVIGASLVNWALKRS IRLETLREVLAFVVLGAGVAPVVSATVGSATLAWFGI-LSQTF SSRPRILHLGLFVTAYVLAAGFAQALAVVPGTGISIWPPSGLFIATLVIA-PTRSWPWWVIAGLLGELFSSALWF 2 SLPVALLIYSGNALEAITGAWLVNLACRRP VRLETLQEVLAFVLLAAGLAPFASATVGSATLAWFG---VQSF EIVKICGIIFISGMIYYVLALIGRKTAIYPSYAAAIWPASGAALGFTLLF-GNYAVLGVFLASVLFNFGTGILSG 1 NLYLNFLIGFFSAFQSYVGKTVLTRKIPGY -KISDRTQFVFLFIFLEAIVCVINATGSVASMYFLGEIDLSSI YSMSKLNEILMVAVVYFITARLGQLLAISPGNVTPVWLPSGICLAWVLLR-GRHLWPGIFLGAFAGNIWAYFDTN 7 SILAGSANGLGDVIAIVGAAWMINTISPAT ALFNNSKNTTIFLIYGGIIGPFISASIGIFGLLLTGNILPNDA VRGRHLLEMLGLVVVYLLAGALGLQVAIV-GNISPAWPPAGVSLAALLVL-GVSRWPGVFVGASVISVLGDV--PVVASLGVGVGSTLAAVLGVGLLRWLGFDKGLERIRDVVALCAGAGALCLGVSAWAGVASLVLGGRLPSTSL QGTRYAGVLVAIGVIYFVLAKGGLALASVHPSATPIWPPTGLALAAVLLW-GYRTWPAIFIAAVIANATTAG--SVATAIAIASGNTLEAVVGAYLVNRWSRGR HTFSRPNSVAKFALICIVIATPISASIGLTSLATAGYIDRTNF RSVSWQRQIIVAIAIYGTIYISQLFITYAGTASSPIWIPTGMAVGFLSIW-GYQVWPGMVGGLLLGEIMALHGLE 4 FILTVAITGVV-SLVNLFSVYLSDILTANN YLFSKIKNIIRFIVFVCFGSRLPAAIICPFLLYLFEKISFGLY KSLRRRLVTALPSLALAIALGLCTALAYGMLGRGQQWLSLGLGQGMALAL-WWQGTNIIALALGLTIAPMVVQGD 2 LALALGMISTAVVLMAGRGLKMLEFSPQGQ ----RLQDGMVFLLAGVGLGATLTAIAALLLSLWQG---DGRI LVRLGFRHSVPFILAYLALAGASMLLAVAPSNVTPLYPAAGLAWGVAILW-GRRTYPSIFVAATLANTLPLLFSQ 4 AVLAGIAIGVGEVIAVLISCKLLSAVRGRE --RVFKQVQDVIAFSVIALFWVVSPTIGVSALALAGLVESGAF LHNILLNLLVALFYVVGIRLSDQLVSTLLPGRISPVWFPSALTFGVFFHF-GHWVTPGIILGSVLGLVSVLSTFD 7 FLVLETAFAFANTLQPFIGDLWLKNKLISV 21 LNPFQRVSTTLAFVQGAIIGPFLSAVIGVTTLLLMGIIARENF NAFAYIQVNLFIALAYFILGQMGLMIALPPGYSAAIWPAAGVAIASCLLWKGRAPWGGVFIGSLLTNMNIGQELH LGWLPLIIALGTLLQTIISARIIQYIDPQL --TLDKPETVIKSMVSLSASCCIASLFGNAALVLGDTITSADV MTARSVGYMLLAGLGYWLLGAAAGFFTIPPGYASPIWPAAGWAVICCIRF-GWPALLGVFFASFYLNIQFSNASL 5 AWVVAGFIALGAVCQAGLASYCAKRFALSA HGDAITVNPVKLALVIGPLASLMSPTVGISTLVSFDIVPVQSA QMRFDAAQIAVVAVAYHALAQLGLYFAIPPGFATVFWPASGVALAAVMLR-GPWMMLGVLLGSFSVNLYISLQLN 7 NVLVALGIACSSALQAGLGAWLISYWLKRQ 1 GRLTQLRHLLVLVGLGGPIGCMLAATGGTTILVATGVMLPEQW AQWSRRALISFGVVYAVLIWVGAQPLLANRG-IPLLWVAGGFAAGGVLLA-GKRLLPIIFIGAFIAYTVVFRQLG 5 LLAAALVFGLSAIIQAWLVNWLVRRFGR-TLPPSSIRYTLVVCGLLALAVLPAPFLAVMVLVVVQQPLVSSP ...............h.h.................ha.s.uh.hs.hh..........hh.s..h...............................s..hhp............................h........u............... ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||..........||||||||||||||||||||||||.....||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||....................||||||||||||||||||||.......... GKESWNALLLTLTGGLTLAPICLVFWHYL 16 INWRGRHLVWYLLLFVISLWLQLGLPDEL-----SRFTPFCLALP-IIALAWHYGWQGALIATLMNAIALIASQTWR-----DH-----------PVDLLLSLLVQSLTGLLLGAGIQRLRELNQS --PIMLPGLTSFTGGVLLTPFVYLIFEFL 16 PLRTSLIIWCSLFFIIGIGTQMVLSPEI------ERLLLIVVFLP-NVVMAWKFGWQGGVLSGLLGSMMITIARQIGVG---FSN----------LVELEIFLATQALLGIGLGIAISRQQHLALN AETLIAVSIASLTGGIVLTPFLYLVADYL 17 KLKPKMLMWSLLFFSLGLLAELTLLEQM------KPFALLIILLP-TIFLAYRYGWQGGVLASSLNCILLATARQFSGS---FSS----------DQELLIFMSSQAFVGLGLGIAISRQHQLALL VPSVYMVWLASISGGLMLVPMCYLLWNYL 16 VVFSIRHIVFYAVLLIGSILVQTSLPEEL-----KRFAPFCMAIP-IIVLALRYGWQGALLATMLNSIALIAARSGVSN---LE-----------ITDLLLSLSAQTITGIMLGLAVQKQKDLNHK GQVLRIWAASDFLGVLIVTPVLATWSRFR 10 ETLLGLAASVALVVSAHLIFDGNSTARFGTGI-GFALTYVPLFFA-VVVALLWGGRGG-SAAVLVLALTVLIETAEGDGP--FAVLDRHHGQS--LLEAQLYLGITALLVLLVSALKTTREQLHAQ GTGTAIFSIVDLLSLISAALIFTLFFYYP 18 APYLAKEKRLFTLLWFATLATLLAVLCTPF----ETKYIAGYLVP-VLFIGFTIGVGKISYPLLNFSWALTALFLLSYNRN-FLQGVGSEYS---LAFILSVLISFSICLLYMARINQRSEWLNRQ NINTLINYQALLVGNLVGVPLCYFIIRTL 18 SKATKKEIVIWLAVLTTLMFILCMPLTDNSSIF-STNYTLSLLLPVMLWGAMRYGYKFISIIWAVVLITSIHYYQRYMPW--YSGYDTQL------AITSSSYLVFSFIVNYMSVLATRQRVVSGR NLGTLINYQALLVGNLIGVPLCYFIIRVV 18 AKVTKKEFAIWLLALGALLLLLCMPLNEKSTIF-STNYTLSLLLPLMMWGAMRYGYKLISLLWAVVLMISIHSYQNYIPI--YPGYTTQ------LTITSSSYLVFSFIVNYMAVLATRQRAVVRR GVKFARFAVGDYLGMLMVVLPVLLWMRRH 7 LTPHCALAVLATALIFALATLPQSNVAR-------LGLMSLLIVP-AVLLTWLHGWRG-AAIGVVLANTALAFSLRNTGV--LGAYDSI------GFVVQVMLATTATGLFVLGARISSTLAEVRL STVWGAWTLAQGAGFILSGMAALAWTRPA 6 PDRRRLLKASGAALLLCLLVLGPHPLPDS-----LRYLLLFIIIPATAWAGFKLPPAH-LSSLLLAGGTLGAWLTHADHG--VLSTLPAPLP---FVLLQGAMLLLSAMALMTQVLATTNRHMRRS PEMWARWYVGDAMGMLALLPLCMASNLAA WRHALSGRAGVDNAMLLLVTLVISFVALTRL----PYAFIYVLLP-LLVAAASTSVFGTALIGCLNTCFIAVLIALGV----FLPESSQQRFG--EPLLYLPMALTLIPAFLVSVIMERSRREQHQ LRAFLIWVLSESIGALALVPLGLLFKPHY 1 LRHRNPRLLFESLLTLAITLTLSWLSMLYL-----PWPFTFIIVL-LMWSAVRLPRMEAFLIFLTTVMMVSLMMAADPS---LLATPRTYLM---SHMPWLPFLLILLPANIMTMVMYAFRAERKH FTLYLTMALRDLTGIIVVAGPGIALSTPL 1 LNIHRSAWREFAVVIIATVGVLALIFGFAV----DLPTVYLAMLP-LYWSATRLPVLLAVLHAVFTSAIVVILYFLLGTGS-FAITDESILVQ--ATTIQLFVLMCILLSLVVSTTVQQTSALVEE WPLLADWFSEQFSTGVLIVPCMLTLAIPG --VLPRFKAEQMMPAIALIVSVIASVVI------GGAGSLAFPLPALIWCAVRYTPQVTCLLTFVTGAVEVVLVANSVID--ISVGSPFSIPQ--MFSARLGIATMAICPIMVSFSVAAINSLMKQ LIVAASWLFSDALGIAIFLPLGYVCRRAS 11 LKTRLMRNCRNGFCAHAIVALVSVGSFHH-----AHWVPLYWVLPSLVLAVLWAGSYAAVTGTFITAAVAVVSTVREPFHSPFGTFARPADA---IFDVQGFALACLLTSYLMAAVLADGRRYLAQ SSNIPHWWLGNAIGVMAIAPTALLVFTPY 24 SRCLLLEFSAILLLCLAIATLTVAETNQNGFK--LQQLSFLGFVP-VLWAATRFGVTSGMLTSSFCVLVTLFAYLVAYPKAMYLATFPVQAEV--LHVHKLSLLVQCAVSLFVGIAITERSSIQVE AESLVDWLLRSALGLAVALPATLVLIDAE 1 RRSFQRPWSEKLLLMFSVVTVALLCAHP------AAGAPPVLMFPVTLAAAYRLGARGAALAAFLTIGIIMPMVISVGSSS-FNSTQDTVIQ---ARTIQVFMGVLFYTCLAAGLAFGQQNRLKRL SSVVVNYTLGHISGTITLLYPLLIVPTLW 2 RPRSPNTLVCGISVFLGITSMCPFSDYHLF-----GFASIVGMYALLVGVSAYIDQFQASLVQLACTGSILGFTAAGRGP--FVHVMKDGEAEEVLIGTQMGIAALSALNAFVVILVSQLRDLQKS LHTWQVFWLGDGLGLLIVGTTLLVWLAPR 3 EARIRGRGLEGLVLAAGLLFVSVLTLRLD-----ADLGRLYLLFPFLVWTALRFGMKGATLAILSMTGVATWAMMDGRGP--FVDLAGIDQ----VAARQVLIAVVALSTFILAVAADERRRVTRR PRVWWAWWNAGAIGMVMLLPLMVSISRER --VQAALRRPMLLRLIALFVLCMAIGTGAIVA--GHEPFVVMSLPLVIVALASNPFAT-ALLTLVSALALEGIAHLGGMQ--FLA----------SRATPLSGALILVFPICIAFMTEQNRNGRAE LDLMLRYWSGSYLGMLVLLLPAMLWANWN 4 RLSLQRDLAIAVAVILSLFFLLGVSQEPLT----RNILMVAMLVP-MVVLTFRHGWKG-SALGSLLASFAIEFSLPRVYQ--IGFFDQQ------VFSMQLLYAVTTTVLFVFNARLREPARNKVS TGAWPLWWIGDATGVLIVAPLAFIVIQNW 1 DKTELSAARLAEACVLGLIFLGVAALSLS-----GYLPFAYIIMPPLLWAAVRFEVKGAVVVLVLLTLITAIFTISGTSP--FAGDHETQRHK--QFMLQLFLAISAFSALIVAAISRQYQLALSN ATAWPLWWIGDATGVLIVAPLAVVVFQNL 1 GKTRLSGGQWMEAGVLGLIFLSVSTLSLS-----GYLPFAYIVMPPLLWAAVRFEFKGAAVTLTLLALITAIFTISGASQ--FISDPQSQKHS--QIMLQLFLAISAFSALIVAAISRQHQQAVLT RQSWLTWWVGEVLGVYVGAPFILFWFRGP 6 KEFFESAILLFLIVFFSLTSFDLTTSVFF-----FNYSLGYVLVPLILWSAFRLGERASSLAVILSSIIAIFGSIPTR----FNAESIGES----SILLQFFIAVLSITSLLVVSMVNERKEVEDQ FFSLITWWTGDAMGVLFITPVILELYHLK 2 QTIRPNRDVILHFVLFLSITTTVFFLSSNQ----DPSIWIVFLAPMLVWATLRFSQVILFSELFILSTISIVATATQHGPL-LILDDLAST----LIHLQVFLGSVALSVFYLNSVNRELRASKHN AAGLRVWWVGDLMGVLVVAPPLMLFKRWS 3 RGGEAVVLAGLTTVLGGAIFFVPDLPHS------AAHAAAFLLFPMSAWAALRFGPRGAAAATLCIAAASIVGTARGQGP--FATDDLTQD----LLVLQLFIAANAVTGLLLRRRSTERQRAIGQ ANAWVTWWLGDVTGALVIAPVVVLWASSY 6 NDCLETVGVLATAAAVGLIAFSPLIEQTP-----SRDPLGFLAILPMLWAALRRGPRDTATVALVLAGITVWGTLTGGGP--FTTTDLNVS----FLLVLMFLISITVPSLLLSADVEVRKRGEKR SEIAYTWLLSDAFALLIVTPFIIACNHNF -KVFIKLLQEQWLEAASIIFFILLIVKIIA----NGYPIEYLLIPFLLWSAFRFTEVGSSLLTIVVSALLVLILALDQEK--AAIKDQ-------LLLLQSILACISMTTLVLNAVLSENERSKNQ WWTGSLAWLGSATGILLAAPLLFKLRYGR 12 QLVEALVCAGLLLMLAWLIFAGDDLIPLADRGAIYTQWLEYLPFPIVVWASIRFPIWGGILSTSGLALLAITATVQGNGS--FNVQSADQSGA--MILLQMFFLVLGTTSLLLSVAVRERRRTEEQ SRVWLTWWLGDSIGILLLTPLVLIVNITH --WRNLLNNDGYKLVVGIVGAATASLAVYA----SGLPLLYLLTGICFMAAYRLSLFGVIVVNLVIATITSSAYMWQVGP--GAHFAAPIQ----LGLIQLFLAFNMVISLVFWCTQSRNRELSVK FYSWITWWSNSVLAIIVFTPVLINIRFYH ---FRRHHFFNTKLVISLVLTFLVWFLSFY----HSFPVAYMFLPLILFVVFHFGDFFASIFVAFFAFFAIFATAQGQGL--FNQDSGNNS----IIFLQLFTAVISMTALFFSAIIQEKKIAQQS VSSMFNWWMGDFLGAVIFIPLTMLVFDRR 6 RIQTGLPLLVGFLLCIGIYYYADMNQRQQL----QDKFQIQSNAI-ISSVESFQGTN-LQQLVALASLFDNSEKVSENE---FI-----------QFGIRNQLQLDGFRAWAWSPLVTLSDKNSFE SLNWLHWWIGDAIGAMAFAPFISLMSMAD 3 APRRVLVFLGFYVLLIALVSLTFVQSRTA------EEQRIENVFN-EQVETAHQSIL-KQLQAITFAGRSIASLFET-----FPAVEYTQFN---HYAQGVYEYIPGSQGIGWVPVVADASRHTFE WHNWLMWWLGDTLGVVVIAPALVILAQSP 6 RKTQVCIPLAVLFILLAFGYSRFESHTL------ERFDKEINNLT-DGAYLDVQSKLM-DYERSLIGVVSLFRNSE------FVTDEEFA-----NQTIPLINSSPSLIALQWVPRVTRDQLAAFV PIVALQWWLNLVAGVWLVTPWMVLGEYYR 2 RPMREPWLWPVSSLLLALMLFSLQLIWRDAN---RQFTTQLQADV-NEVVSLINDRLT-IYEQALLSQSALFLASQ------RVDQHEFS-----VFSRTQLARLPALRAVSWIPRIPLQQRTAFE ......h......u.hh.....h.h......................h............................hs...h.....s...........s...............h..........................sh.h.......p.....

283 286 290 281 304 321 325 325 287 332 294 296 333 298 340 324 298 299 379 299 294 300 355 304 318 305 345 305 322 316 377 298 294 307 291

Figure sequence alignment of the 8TMR-UT family Multiple10 Multiple sequence alignment of the 8TMR-UT family.Multiple sequence alignment the 8TMR was constructed as detailed in the legend to Figure 1. The species abbreviations are as shown in Table 1.

this conserved TM domain was recovered in diverse signaling proteins that are particularly widespread in proteobacteria. Sporadic occurrences of this domain were also encountered in signaling proteins from actinomycetes like Corynebacterium glutamicum, cyanobacteria, spirochetes like Leptospira interrogans, flexibacteria like Chloroflexus, and the Ectocarpus siliculosus virus (Table 1). A search for signal peptides using the SignalP program [66,67] with bacterial signal peptide models did not yield strong signal predictions for these proteins. TM helix prediction with an alignment of this conserved TM domain using the PHDhtm program [37] suggested the presence of 8 membranespanning helices. Further, helix prediction, individually for all members of this family, with the TOPRED,

TMHMM2.0 and TMPRED programs [3436] also suggested the presence of 8 membrane-spanning helices on an average. These algorithms also predicted a topology with an intracellular N and C terminus for this TM domain, which is compatible with the C-terminal signaling domains occurring immediately after the last predicted membrane spanning helix in most instances. Accordingly, we refer to this domain as the 8TMR-UT domain (for 8 trans membrane UhpB type domain). 8TMR-UTs are approximately 290300 residues in length and are characterized by several distinctive features that differentiate them from all other TM regions (Figure 10). These include, an aromatic position followed by a proline

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in the second helix, a pair of small residues typically glycine in the 5th helix, and a charged patch just C-terminal to the last helix. The conserved prolines and glycines within the predicted helices suggest that they may possess conformational distortions that could be critical for signal sensing and transduction. The clearest functional clues for the 8TMR-UT domain comes from the E. coli UhpB protein, whose C-terminal intracellular histidine kinase transfers a phosphate to the receiver domain of the transcription factor UhpA. Currently available experimental evidence suggests that the 8TMR-UT domain of UhpB interacts with the transporter UhpC, which binds glucose 6-phosphate [68,69]. When UhpC binds glucose 6-phosphate it appears to transmit a signal via the 8TMR-UT domain of the UhpB protein to activate its kinase domain. Operons related to the Uhp operon are seen in number of bacteria, suggesting that a similar signal relay system is widely employed in sugar sensing by bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis of this family suggests that the 8TMR-UT proteins are divided into 3 major groups (Fig. 8C). Proteins belonging to each of these sub-divisions often show a sporadic phyletic pattern, and often 8TMRUT domains from distantly related organisms group closely together in the tree (Fig. 8C). These observations suggest a dynamic evolutionary history with gene loss and lateral transfer as in the case of the 7TM-DISMs. Likewise, the 8TMR-UT domains also appear to have extensively combined with a range of intracellular domains in various bacteria (Fig. 8C). These combinations often include linkages with GGDEF and HD-GYP domains, which are cyclic diguanylate generating and degrading enzymes respectively, histidine kinase and receiver domains, and PAS domains. In some cases the 8TMR-UT is combined with extracellular CHASE domains [23,70] (Fig. 8C), which suggests that it may transmit the conformational changes arising from the interactions of ligands with the CHASE domain, to intracellular signaling domains. These observations suggest that the 8TMR-UT domain might, in general interact with other membrane-associated proteins, and act a switch that senses conformational changes in them to transmit signals. Examination of the gene neighborhoods of the 8TMR-UTs showed that they often co-occurred with genes predicted to encode molecules with HTH, HAMP, PAS, GGDEF, HD-GYP, histidine kinase and receiver domains (Fig. 8C). These predicted operon organizations suggest that the 8TMR-UTs might functionally interact with other signaling molecules to form complex signaling networks that might help in sensing a wide diversity of stimuli [9].

new receptors in prokaryotes. As a result, we were able to identify two distinct families of 7TM receptors, namely 7TMR-DISM and 7TMR-HD that are unique to bacteria. The discovery of these new 7TMRs in diverse bacteria suggests that they may be more widely utilized in prokaryotes than has been previously suspected. Importantly, the domain architectures of the 7TMR-DISMs suggest that they are likely to activate a variety of intracellular signaling cascades including adenylyl cyclases and kinases. This suggests that these bacterial 7TMRs are functional analogues of the eukaryotic receptors, and could serve as models for the non-G protein linked pathways downstream of the eukaryotic receptors. Most members of the 7TMR-DISM family are fused to one of two extracellular domains at their N-termini. Both these domains are predicted to adopt all- fold with a jellyroll topology similar to the discoidin-type sugar binding domains. One of them, 7TMR-DISMED1 can be unified with the carbohydrate binding domains of -galactosidases and -glucoronidases. Accordingly, the 7TMR-DISM family is predicted to function as receptors for carbohydrates and related molecules. Based on the contextual information from gene neighborhoods, the 7TMR-HD proteins are predicted to act as receptors that regulate the highly conserved glycerolipid metabolism pathway in response to stimuli sensed by their extracellular domains. The architectures of most of the 7TMR-HD and 7TMR-DISM proteins are reminiscent of the animal metabotropic glutamate and taste receptors. These animal receptors contain an extracellular periplasmic solute-binding domain that is typical of several bacterial signaling proteins [54]. This architecture, along with the limited phyletic pattern of these 7TMR (only found in animals), could imply that they were acquired from an as yet unknown prokaryotic source. In more general terms, the eukaryotic 7TMRs are thus far restricted in their phyletic spread to a few crown group lineages (animals, slime molds fungi and plants) and appear to have proliferated principally through lineage specific expansions from a few founders. The herein-reported discovery of new representatives of 7TMRs in bacteria suggests that they are ancient and widespread in the bacterial lineage. Hence, it is possible that a subset of the crown group eukaryotes may have ultimately acquired the founding members of their 7TMR families from a prokaryotic source through lateral transfer. We also detected two evolutionarily mobile membranespanning domains, namely 5TM-LYT and 8TMR-UT that are associated with several different types of intracellular domains. These conserved TM domains, unlike members of the 7TMR-DISM and 7TMR-HD families, are not associated with large globular extracellular domains. We propose that one of these families, the 5TMR family, is likely

Conclusions
The presence of a relatively small set of well-understood signaling domains that are combined with a variety of other accessory domains allowed us to set up a sieve for

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to function as receptors for murein or its components. 8TMR-UT in contrast may sense conformational changes in other membrane-associated proteins and relay these signals to the intracellular signaling domains. Identification of these receptors suggests new paradigms in bacterial signal transduction, and could also provide models for the functions of an important class of eukaryotic proteins. Experimental investigation of these proteins, particularly those from pathogenic bacteria, such as Bacillus anthracis, Leptospira and Cytophaga, are likely to be of interest in understanding microbial physiology and pathogenesis.

Methods
The non-redundant (NR) database of protein sequences (National Center for Biotechnology Information, NIH, Bethesda, Date: April 1, 2003) was searched using the BLASTP program [71]. The searches were supplemented with a new round of searches at the time of revision of the manuscript (June 20, 2003). All completely sequenced and assembled microbial genomes that were submitted to the NCBI GenBank database as of April 2003, including 16 species of archaea and 96 species of bacteria were included used in this analysis. A complete list of these genomes and the predicted proteomes in fasta format can be downloaded from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ PMGifs/Genomes/micr.html Additional sequences, from microbial genomes that have been sequenced but not completely assembled and submitted to the GenBank database were also used in this analysis. A list of these prokaryotic genomes, from which sequences have been deposited in GenBank can be accessed from the following URL: http:// www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PMGifs/Genomes/eub_u.html Profile searches were conducted using the PSI-BLAST program with either a single sequence or an alignment used as the query, with a default profile inclusion expectation (E) value threshold of 0.01 (unless specified otherwise), and was iterated until convergence [71,72]. For all searches involving membrane-spanning domains we used a statistical correction for compositional bias to reduce false positives due the general hydrophobicity of these proteins. Multiple alignments were constructed using the T_Coffee program [73], followed by manual correction based on the PSI-BLAST results. Signal peptides were predicted using the SIGNALP program [66,67]http:// www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/SignalP-2.0/. Multiple alignments of the N-terminal regions of proteins were used additionally to verify the presence of a conserved signal peptide, and only those signal peptides that were conserved across orthologous groups of proteins were considered as true positives. Transmembrane regions were

predicted in individual proteins using the TMPRED, TMHMM2.0 and TOPRED1.0 program with default parameters [3436]. For TOPRED1.0, the organism parameter was set to "prokaryote" [34]http://bioweb.pas teur.fr/seqanal/interfaces/toppred.html. Additionally, the multiple alignments were used to predict TM regions with the PHDhtm program [37]. The library of profiles for membrane proteins was prepared by extracting all membrane protein alignments from the PFAM database http:// www.sanger.ac.uk/Software/Pfam/index.shtml) and updating them by adding new members from the NR database. These updated alignments were then used to make HMMs with the HMMER package [74] or PSSM with PSI-BLAST. All large-scale sequence analysis procedures were carried out using the SEALS package http:// www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CBBresearch/Walker/SEALS/ index.html. Structural manipulations were carried out using the SwissPDB viewer program [75] and the ribbon diagrams were constructed with MOLSCRIPT [76]. Searches of the PDB database with query structures was conducted using the DALI program [77]. Protein secondary structure was predicted using a multiple alignment as the input for the PHD program [78]. Homology modeling was carried out using the Swiss-PDB viewer, version 3.7 to align a target sequence with template structures. This alignment was then provided as input to the SWISS-MODEL server [75] to generate a homology model using the PROMODII program. This model was then energy-minimized using the GROMOS96 routine of the SPDBV. Similarity based clustering of proteins was carried out using the BLASTCLUST program ftp://ftp.ncbi.nih.gov/ blast/documents/blastclust.txt). Phylogenetic analysis was carried out using the maximum-likelihood, neighborjoining and least squares methods [79,80]. Briefly, this process involved the construction of a least squares tree using the FITCH program or a neighbor joining tree using the NEIGHBOR program (both from the Phylip package) [81], followed by local rearrangement using the Protml program of the Molphy package [80] to arrive at the maximum likelihood (ML) tree. The statistical significance of various nodes of this ML tree was assessed using the relative estimate of logarithmic likelihood bootstrap (Protml RELL-BP), with 10,000 replicates. Text versions of all alignments reported in this study can be downloaded from: ftp://ftp.ncbi.nih.gov/pub/aravind

Authors' contributions
Author 1 (VA) contributed to the discovery process, preparation of most of the figures. Author 2 (LA) conceived the study and contributed to the discovery process, preparation of one of the figures and the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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